


Operation Secret Santa

by chasingkerouac



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Gen, M/M, Workplace Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-10 08:27:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 20,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12908076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingkerouac/pseuds/chasingkerouac
Summary: Kurt can't stop staring at the cute guy who comes by the coffee station near his desk every morning, but can never muster up the courage to say hello.  Until the assignment for their office Secret Santa is revealed and his reads 'Blaine Anderson'.  Written in pieces for Klaine Advent 2017.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is shameless Christmas fluff. And since it is being written on the fly from prompts for Klaine Advent, there may or may not be a logical structure. Enjoy!
> 
> Day 1: Attachment

“Why don’t you just talk to him?" 

Kurt Hummel swiveled in his chair to glance at his cubicle-mate as she slipped into their space and sat down in her chair.  "Mercedes, what  _him_  are you talking about?” he asked as non-chalantly as possible.

Mercedes chuckled as refreshed her email.  "You keep straining to look over the wall.  The wall that conveniently separates the row from the coffee station.  You do it every morning at 10:17 and, oh look, it’s 10:17.  And there is a cute brown-haired guy currently making a fresh pot of coffee and you keep poking your head up like a groundhog.  Just go over there and say hi.“

"And what?  Just say hello?  Just like that?” Kurt asked.  "I couldn’t.  He’s… he’s busy,” he added lamely.

“He’s making coffee.  And he’s wearing a sweater with reindeer on it,” Mercedes pointed out.  "Guys who wear reindeer sweaters aren’t too cool to say hello back.  Do you even know his name?“

Kurt shook his head.  "All I know is he sits in cube 4F.  I might’ve… took the long way to the copier.”

“Then you should go say hi and ask how the weather is over in 4F,” Mercedes said.  

Kurt poked his head up over the cubicle wall enough to see Coffee Guy laughing with another blond guy.  He sighed.  Of course Coffee Guy’s smile would be cuter the larger it got.  "Maybe tomorrow,“ he sighed, sitting back down.

Mercedes shrugged.  "It’s Christmas, the time of miracles.  And apparently getting you to go talk to the cute boy is going to take the intervention of the baby Jesus.  So I’m just going to sit here, and wait for some Christmas magic to happen.”

“Mercedes, there is no such thing as Christmas magic, and the only thing this holiday is going to get me is a couple days off of work,” Kurt replied, his eyes darting back to his computer as his email dinged with a new message.

_Hi everyone!  Thanks for signing up for Secret Santa this year.  Your assignment is in the attachment.  To get everyone talking this year, we’ve NOT included any hints for gifts.  GO MAKE A NEW FRIEND!  Also, there’s a $20 limit.  SO MAKE A NEW FRIEND WITHIN FINANCIAL LIMITS.  Happy Holidays everyone! – Sam Evans, your friendly neighborhood HR Rep_

Kurt clicked through to the attached message, and almost choked when he read his assignment.

_Blaine Anderson, 4F_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2: Bucket

“Tell me who you got.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“That’s not the point of Secret Santa.”

“But I told you who I got!”

Mercedes just looked at Kurt as she waited for her lunch to finish heating up.  “That’s because your poker face is terrible and I guessed who it was as soon as you made that sad little strangled noise,” she said.

Kurt sighed.  “Yes, but you still know.  Why won’t you tell me who you got?”

“Because that’s not the point.”

“Is it me?”

“No.”

“Then you should tell me.”

“I am going to keep the Christmas magic alive, which means I’m also going to keep it a secret,” she chuckled.  “So what are you going to do?”

Kurt glanced out into the hallway.  “I guess…”

“That you have to grow some jingle bells and go talk to him?” Mercedes supplied sweetly.

“I will dump a bucket of snow down your back when you least expect it,” he scowled.

Mercedes shook her head.  “Your gloves are kidskin and have never actually touched anything other than your hands.  You’re not getting a bucket of snow with them.  Go, flirt, we don’t have a meeting for another hour.”

“I’m not flirting, this is an office,” Kurt replied.  “I am, however, going to casually walk by his desk and compliment him on his festive sweater and then ask him if he would consider running away with me to a dewy meadow to take me in the French fashion.”

Mercedes grinned.  “Good, go for subtlety.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3: Collapse

You’re doing great, Kurt assured himself as he clutched the file folder tighter and weaved his way through the rows of cubicles towards row 4.  He’d originally thought that he could find something Blaine left near the coffee table and conveniently return it to him, but Blaine never left anything behind.  He cleaned up the station, refilled the milk, and arranged the sugar substitutes by color.  He was that guy who left things better than they were originally.  So that was nixed.  Then Kurt considered asking a question about his job, so he checked the organization chart that was listed on the employee site to find out Blaine’s job title.  The org chart was last updated in August 2013 and didn’t list a Blaine Anderson.  No help there.  

So Kurt was left with the the most basic, and arguably obvious, way to strike up a conversation.

“Oh no!” Kurt gasped as he turned the corner sharply, bumped the side of the cubicle wall, and dropped the folders he was carrying, spilling paperwork all over the floor in front of Blaine’s cube.  “Dammit.”

He was certainly not above deception.

Blaine looked up from his computer at the mess in front of him, and was up to help before Kurt could even ask for a hand.  “Hey, are you okay?  You hit that pretty hard.”

Kurt sighed dramatically and lifted a hand to brush back the lock of hair that would’ve fallen in his face if he wasn’t meticulous about the strength of product he used to prevent such embarrassments.  “I wasn’t paying attention,” he replied.  “And I can’t believe I dropped all of these papers right in front of you.  I’m so embarrassed.”

“No need to be embarrassed,” Blaine replied.  He slid the paperwork back into the folders and handed them to Kurt.  “Happens to all of us.”  He stood up and offered his hand.  “I don’t think we’ve met yet.  I’m Blaine.”

Ugh, even his name sounded good coming out of his lips.  “Kurt,” Kurt replied. “I try to make a good impression, but I think I’ll have to just settle for ‘an impression’ this time.”  I’d like for my lips to make an impression on yours, he thought.  And then Blaine wouldn’t be able to NOT fall in love with him.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kurt,” Blaine replied.  “I hope I didn’t get your paperwork too out of order.  If I need to sit an alphabetize them or something, I’m pretty sure I remember my ABCs,” he chuckled.

Oh, of course his laugh sounded like sunshine and angels and the Vogue September issue.  “I couldn’t make you do that.  You might get a papercut, or do something to ruin that great sweater of yours,” Kurt said, pointing to the reindeer.  They would honeymoon in Switzerland and get their 2.3 children and dog matching sweaters and take professional pictures to send as Christmas cards.  

“You like it?” Blaine asked brightly.  “Cooper got it for me.  He said I needed something festive for the office.”

“Cooper?” Kurt asked.  His eyes fell down onto a framed photo on Blaine’s desk of Blaine and what looked to be a goddamn Disney prince with their arms around each other and heads pressed next to each other as they both grinned stupid, radiant smiles at the camera.  

Kurt felt the entire house of cards he’d built in his mind collapse, but his smile didn’t budge.  “Is that Cooper?” he asked innocently, hoping that the answer was no, that’s a celebrity that I won a date with because I donated to a campaign on Prizeo and I actually donated the meet and greet to a needy superfan with cancer, but this guy was so impressed that he invited me along to just to say thank you for my incredible philanthropy, but it was nothing, anyone would do the same, it’s all in a day’s work.

“Yeah,” Blaine replied.  “He got a matching sweater.  Insists that it’ll go on the Christmas card this year.  I’m still trying to talk him down from the idea of adding matching antler headbands.”

“Oh, isn’t that a precious idea,” Kurt replied, just a little too enthusiastically.  “Just… precious.  Ooh, sorry, look at the time, I’ve gotta run to a meeting.  Thank you for your help with these,” he added, lifting up the files.  “You’re a doll.  Just a doll.  I’ll see you around.  The coffee.  I mean, cause everyone drinks coffee,” he chuckled, before turning heel and walking as quickly as he could to the copier in the back corner, before swinging a left and heading back to his row where he could die and no one would watch.

Fuck.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Drink

“And I mean, who does that?” Kurt slurred, lifting up his glass to inspect the rapidly decreasing volume of liquor.  “Like… who does that?  Right there in the office?  Where everyone can see it?”

Mercedes sipped her wine and waited until Kurt was finished.  “Who does what?” she asked.

“You know!” he insisted.  “Him.  Doing that.”

“Hi, your drink looks empty,” the bartender said brightly.  “Do you want another?”

Kurt nodded.  “Yes, thank you, Brittney.”

“Are you sure you want another one?” Mercedes asked.  “You seem kind of…”

“Irritated?” Kurt replied, mouthing thank you again as a fresh glass was set in front of him.

"Drunk,” Mercedes said.  “I mean, what the hell is in that?”

Kurt looked at the glass.  “This?  It’s basically hot chocolate.”

“It’s called a ‘Ya Filthy Animal’,” Brittney chimed in.  “It’s cocoa, kahlua, Bailey’s, mulled red wine, and peppermint schnapps, with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles, shaved chocolate, gold glitter, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.”

“And how many has he had?” Mercedes asked.

“Four!” Brittney answered.  “And you’re on your second glass of our mulled red wine.”

“Thank you, Brittney,” Kurt grumbled through gritted teeth.  

“You’re welcome!” she beamed.  “Just yell when you want another one.  It’s filling up in here.”

It was always busy in the Yellow Canary or, as it was known during the month of December, the Miracle on 10th Street.  Starting December 1st, the bar leaned into Christmas hard, festooning every available nook and cranny with lights, tinsel, Santa figurines, holly, ivy, mistletoe, and even a train that came down the bar with shots.  Rumor had it that this year they were even going to have a naughty stripper Santa the week before Christmas so you could sit on his lap and tell him all your Christmas wishes.  

Kurt had already blocked off time on his calendar for that. 

“So what’s got you so riled up?” Mercedes asked again.

“He has a boyfriend,” Kurt sighed, dropping his head down onto the bar, just barely missing the train tracks.  

Mercedes reached over to pat him on the shoulder.  “Sorry about that.  Did he tell you about that?”

“No,” Kurt sulked.  “But it was pretty obvious from the picture on his desk where he was canoodled up with Prince Eric.”

“His boyfriend’s name is Eric?” Mercedes asked.

“Cooper,” Kurt spat.  “He’s just probably the most attractive man in North America.  But then why wouldn’t Blaine be dating a damn Disney prince?  He’s amazing.”

Mercedes took another long sip of her wine.  “You do realize you don’t actually know anything about this guy other than his name is Blaine and he likes to drink coffee.”

“Well isn’t that the point of Secret Santa?” Kurt asked, his words slurring from bitterness.  Or the alcohol.  He wasn’t sure.  “Aren’t I supposed to find out about him?  Make a new friend?  An under $20 friend, thank you very much HR.”

“Well you’re not going to find out anything about him by getting drunk at the Christmas bar,” Mercedes pointed out.

She was right, of course.  She was always right.  But Kurt wasn’t going to tell her that now.  She’d get a big head.  No, she was right.  If he was going to find out about Blaine Middle Name Unknown Anderson, he was going to have to do something other than drinking at the Christmas bar.  “It’s time I did something about that!” Kurt declared.  “Sweeping declaration!  First I’m going to drink this drink!”  He grabbed the glass, and tilted it back, drinking it faster than any normal person would drink something that was equal parts alcohol and sugar.  He dropped the empty glass on the passing toy train and slapped his hands on the bar.  “And second,” he said, pushing up and standing, “I’m going to find out a fact about him!”

Or, at least, that’s what he was intending to say, before the metric ton of liquor he’d drunk caught up to him and cause him to drop like a stone onto the floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Example

He was dead.  He was dead, and this was Hell -- well, if Hell were a real place and not some fantasy that people used to scare people into being decent human beings instead of putting money or time into rules and cultural norms that didn’t incentivize shoving down groups of people in service of the supremacy of another.  He was dead, and this was Hell, and Hell was the sunshine breaking through his window and beaming happily right onto his goddamn face.

Kurt groaned as he decided he’d rather not be dead and instead opened his eyes.  Everything was sideways.  Why was everything sideways?

How did he end up face down and half hanging off of his couch?

The last thing he remembered was being at the Christmas bar with Mercedes.  And a couple drinks.

Drinks.  He needed water.  His mouth tasted like red wine and regret.

He forced all of the muscles in his face to convince his eyes to look around.  When did his apartment start getting so much light?  He needed his sunglasses -- no!  Water.  He needed water.  He was dehydrated… and maybe still a little drunk.  Standing up would be the test of that.  He would… put that off for a few more minutes.

There was a bottle of water sitting next to a bottle of aspirin within reach from his draped position on the couch.  Good going, Kurt!  Way to be proactive.  You’re not going to die today.  

The cap to the bottle of water seemed child proof, or maybe his fingers just hadn’t caught up to his brain yet.  He swore as he lifted the bottle up right up in front of his face.  “Listen here, you piece of plastic waste,” he grumbled.  “Open now, or I’ll make an example of you in front of all of your plastic friends in the pantry and I’ll switch to a Nalgene.  You think I won’t -- I had a flannel phase, I’ll do it!”  This time and twist, the cap released and he took a long, satisfying sip.  He was dry to his toes, and that sip turned into a second, and a third, and half the bottle before he set it down and rolled over to stare up at the ceiling.  

“Mercedes?” he called out, but there was no answer.  That was good -- when he got real bad, Mercedes would stay over after bringing him home.  He must’ve just been tired and that’s why he doesn’t remember parts of last night.  He really should get more sleep.

His phone chirped with an unread text.  Where the hell could his phone be?  He ran his hand over the floor next to the couch, and then on the couch, and then on… wait, why was his phone tucked into boxer briefs?  Ugh, c’mon drunk Kurt, he scolded himself.

It was an unknown number.  

_Hey Kurt -- it’s Blaine.  I know it’s early so I hope you’re still sleeping it off!  But I just wanted to make sure you slept okay.  And are still among the land of the living and not kidnapped by elves.  You weren’t sure of that when I left you last night *lol*  Anyway, let me know if you need anything -- water, food, the name of that pole dancing instructor….  See you Monday!_

How the… what the… Kurt dropped his phone onto his chest and stared horrified at the ceiling.  What the hell happened last night?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6: Fraction

“Good morning, sunshine,” Mercedes said brightly as Kurt all but slunk into their cubicle.  “Happy Monday.  Have a good weekend?”

“Well, I spent all of Saturday feeling like death, and then all of Sunday trying to avoid thinking about what the hell happened on Friday night,” Kurt grumbled.  “Speaking of, what the hell happened on Friday night?”

Mercedes smile grew even wider.  “You don’t remember?  Oh my god, Kurt, you don’t remember?”

She had her ‘you made an ass of yourself and I snapchatted the whole thing’ face on.  Kurt wished for nothing more than the ground to open up and take him now.  “No, Mercedes,” he said, his voice as measured as he could make it.  “I don’t remember.  We were getting drinks, and I ordered another one, and then… nothing.”

Mercedes clapped.  “So you don’t even remember the Blaine of it all?”

“No, what do you mean the Blaine of it all?”  Waiting for the ground to open up and swallow him was taking too long.  How long would death by office chair take.

“Hey Mercedes!” Blaine called out from the coffee bar.  “Hey Kurt.”

“Hey Blaine,” Mercedes replied, giving him a wave as Kurt debated between waving and dying right there.  What did she mean the Blaine of it all?

“Glad to see you’re looking better.  I was worried there,” Blaine chuckled with a wink to Kurt.  “Anyway, today’s a 9am kind of coffee day.  Gotta run, but I’ll see you guys later.”

Kurt managed a convincing smile until Blaine disappeared around the corner.  “When did we become friends?” he hissed.  “When did you become friends?”

“When we left the bar, he was in the line outside,” Mercedes explained.  “You wanted to say hi, and then he said hi back, and then you might’ve started… word vomiting about Christmas.”

“But not, like… actual vomiting…” Kurt trailed off hesitantly.

“No, not like actual vomiting,” Mercedes assured him.  “And then he said he’d take you home, and since you’re alive and not in a trash bag in the bottom of the lake, I assume you got home just fine.”

“He took me home?” So was that what the text message was about?  “Why did you leave me alone with him?”

“You told me to take a hike and leave you with the man with God’s perfect ass,” she said.  “And he said he’s take responsibility for you.  So… you know.”

“But then what happened after that?”

Mercedes shrugged.  “I can’t tell you what happened after the cute guy took you home.”

“But what did we do?”

“Did you wake up with a hickey?”

Kurt grimaced.  “No.”

“Then I can’t help you there.”

“Then what help are you?”

“You know who can help you?”

“I am  _ not _ going to ask him what happened!”

“Then you, my friend, are going to stay in the dark.”

Kurt grimaced.  The was a non-zero chance he completely embarrassed himself in front of Blaine Anderson Friday night, but it obviously wasn’t bad enough to cause Blaine to completely avoid him.  That was good.  Or bad.  Kurt wasn’t sure.  

“Maybe I’ll… go get something from the printer,” he said.

“Oh look,” Mercedes mused turning and clicking a few buttons on her keyboard.  “I just sent that spreadsheet to the back printer.  Ugh, I’m so slammed, could you go get that for me?  Thanks!” she added sweetly.

“If you insist,” Kurt grumbled, even as he hopped up from the chair and all but ran down the hallway.

Retrieving the spreadsheet didn’t take nearly enough time to gather the strength to go up to Blaine and ask ‘hey, did I harass or embarrass you while I was drunk and apparently completely unaware of what was going on Friday night?’  If he just stood here looking at the printer long enough, the right way to ask would --

“Hey Kurt.”

Kurt turned around to Blaine’s smiling, beatific face.  “Hey Blaine,” he said brightly.  Be cool, Kurt.  Be cool.

“Feeling better this morning?”

“Oh yeah,” Kurt chuckled.  “Well… a bit.  A fraction,” he laughed.  “Water helped.”

“I bet.  Hey, thanks for listening Friday night,” Blaine said, reaching out and placing his hand on Kurt’s arm.  “That helped a lot.”

Oh god, he couldn’t tell Blaine he didn’t remember anything now, could he?”  “Oh, not a problem,” Kurt insisted.  “I’m a great listener.  Mercedes says that all the time.  I’m just… glad you got me home…” he trailed off.

“Least I could do,” Blaine said.  “Anyway, I took what you said to heart.  So, could you help me with the gift?  We could go tomorrow at lunch?”

Kurt nodded.  “Of course.  Of course.  Sounds great.  I’ll put it on my calendar.”

“Great.”  Blaine gave his arm a squeeze before letting go and smiling again.  “Tomorrow then.”

“Tomorrow,” Kurt repeated as Blaine walked back to his cubicle.  “What have I gotten myself into?”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Genuine

They’d been in the three shops already and Kurt  _ still _ didn’t know what they were looking for, or for whom they were looking for.  And by this point, it would just be too embarrassing to ask.  ‘Hey, Blaine, great outing, but we’ve been at this for 30 minutes and I keep nodding and making non-committal noises, but truth is, I have no idea what’s going on since I was blackout drunk when you apparently explained all of this the first time, so… do over?’

Yeah, that would be a really great move.  Classy, Kurt.

“I mean, I know an ornament is a traditional gift, but it’s just… too expected,” Blaine mused as he touched a cute little blown glass santa ornament on a tree in the shop.  “I was hoping to find something more amusing.  Not personal, of course, cause that’s just crossing a line.  But something that would elicit a smile.  A genuine smile, not the ‘I’m putting up with something that is beneath me smile’.”

“Yeah, that would be rough coming from… your mother?” Kurt tried.

Blaine turned and looked at Kurt, slightly confused.  “What does my mother have to do with this?”

Dammit, Kurt.  Can’t fake your way out of this one.  “Your sister?” he tried.  “Your maiden aunt?  Fourth grade teacher?”  He sighed.  “I’m sorry Blaine.  I don’t remember who we’re shopping for, and I didn’t yesterday when you asked me to go shopping, and I thought I could fake it and pick up some context clues but seriously, you give  _ no context clues whatsoever _ .  I figured you were the dutiful son who’d buy something for his mother, but I guess… wrong?”

Blaine stared at him for a second, before letting his expression explode into amusement.  “Oh… Kurt, I didn’t…” he devolved into a giggle at that point.  Fuck, Blaine’s laugh was appealing.  Of course it was appealing, everything on this man was appealing.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you didn’t remember.  We’re not shopping for my mom, we’re shopping for my Secret Santa.”

“Oooooh,” Kurt drawled.  “Oh that makes so much more sense.  Whew, I thought I was going to misspeak and insult your mother or someone important to you.”

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

Kurt tilted his head.  “C’mon, how embarrassing was it to ask at that point?”

“Less embarrassing than waiting until we’ve been doing this for 30 minutes,” Blaine pointed out.

“True, true.  Wait, so if we’re looking for someone who looks down on… do you have Rachel Berry?”

Blaine nodded.  “Every time I go up to the second floor, she’s lecturing a different person at the large format copier about… god, I’ve heard why cheese is murder, how the Grammys are rigged against the nasally endowed, and something about how silhouette horse sweaters are making a come back.”  He shook his head.  “Sam said that you’d worked on a couple projects with her and might have some ideas of something she wouldn’t completely hate.”

“Oh yes, she is… intense,” Kurt said, diplomatically.  Okay, this was way less pressure than he thought this was going to be.  There was no chance he was going to insult someone’s dear family member, and he wasn’t going to have to pick out the perfect romantic gift for Blaine’s chiseled-jaw Superman of a boyfriend, so all in all this was the best case scenario.  Well, the best case scenario would be ‘hey Kurt, what’s the best Dear John stationary to buy to inform the greek god I’m currently dating that I’ve decided to run away with you and set up a love commune near the coffee bar?’  But this was a pretty solid second place.  “But you don’t have to worry about impressing her.”

“Why not?”

“Because you won’t,” Kurt laughed.  “So, just accept that you’re going to fail and it’ll take the pressure right off.”

Blaine smiled.  “That… sounds perfect,” he said.  “Okay, well, let’s get to picking out a mediocre office fail of a present.”

Kurt tilted his head in a little bow and motioned further back into the store.  “After you.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 8: Health

Their excursion at lunch ended in failure, so Blaine suggested they meet up after work to try again.  He’d even buy Kurt dinner as payment for helping him out -- and as an apologize for Kurt spending so much time confused.  Kurt did his best to pretend he was insulted at that, but the idea of hanging out with Blaine while they went on a date was too great to pass up.  Well, not a date, more like a pseudo-date.  Not even that, more like a couple hours for Kurt to pretend in his mind that they were on a date and Blaine continued to believe that he could find the type of gift to make Rachel Berry happy.

Pathetic?  Probably.  But like Mercedes said, Christmas is a time for miracles.  

It was dark as they strolled down the streets downtown, but the city decked the trees in twinkling lights and the storefronts all attempted to out-decorate the ones around them.  “I love all of the lights,” Blaine said, breaking the easy silence that had settled between them.  “There’s something so cozy about Christmas decorations.  But the lights…”  Blaine stopped on the sidewalk and stared up at a tree -- just a regular sidewalk tree eleven months out of the year -- with thousands of twinkle lights illuminating him and the rest of the shoppers on the street.  “The lights are my favorite.”

Kurt looked up at the lights, but his eyes slipped down to watch Blaine.  He didn’t think Blaine could be any more attractive than neatly dressed and happy in the office, but there was something different about him now.  His face illuminated by the lights, his smile wide as his thoughts were obviously on some childhood holiday memory, his cheeks slightly flushed from the cold.  There was something so honest about him, and it made Kurt’s heart flip.  

He didn’t realize he’d gasped until Blaine’s eyes met his.  “Oh, sorry,” Blaine said.  “Standing still you can get cold.”

“Oh, no, don’t worry about it,” Kurt assured him.

Blaine just smiled, unwrapped his scarf from his neck, and reached over to loop it around Kurt.  “Your cheeks are pink,” he said softly.  “Don’t want you to catch your death.  There would probably be a lot of HR paperwork since we’re out on a work mission.”

Kurt laughed and forced himself not to reach up and touch Blaine’s hand with his as Blaine tied the scarf and tucked it under the lapel of his coat.  “I’m healthier than I look,” he promised.  “You didn’t have to do this.”

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t offer my scarf to my companion?” Blaine murmured.  WIth the scarf tied, his brushed his hand over Kurt’s shoulder, lingering on one of the gold buttons.  “I’m lucky you wore a coat, or I’d be forced to give you mine as well, and then where would I be?”

“I guess we’re lucky then,” Kurt said, his voice a whisper.  Blaine was standing so close to him, and his hand was still lingering on his shoulder.  It would be so easy to just lean over and kiss him.  As if Blaine could read his mind, he turned to look up and Kurt found himself staring into what were probably the sweetest eyes he’d ever seen.  Kiss me, he thought, hoping that maybe Blaine really could hear his thoughts and would lean forward just a little bit more.  Just a little bit more.

The moment was broken when Blaine’s phone rang, and Blaine apologetically took a step back and checked to see who was calling.  “Sorry, just a second.  Hey, Coop, what’s up?” he answered.

The boyfriend, Kurt thought with a sigh as he took a step back to compose himself.  Blaine had a boyfriend.  A gorgeous, probably thoughtful and considerate boyfriend.  Probably made waffles from scratch and was great in bed.  Probably calling Blaine to tell him that he loved him and couldn’t wait for him to come home.  Probably the universe pointing out that  _ you shouldn’t stand under Christmas lights hoping to kiss someone else’s boyfriend. _

“Sorry about that,” Blaine repeated brightly as he pocketed his phone.  “Cooper forgot I wasn’t coming home for dinner and wanted to know why there was no food.”

“Do you need a raincheck on dinner?” Kurt asked, trying not to sound too disappointed.  This was, after all, just a work thing.

Blaine shook his head.  “He’s an adult.  He can fend for himself for a meal,” he chuckled.  “Besides, I promised you dinner.”

“Not until after we’re successful at finding a gift,” Kurt said.  Friends.  They were just friends.  Stop trying to make it something more than it is.  

Blaine smiled that bright, soul-lifting smile again.  “So let’s go find a gift.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 9: Inch

“You’re looking nice today.”

Kurt gave a quick little spin and smiled at Mercedes.  “Thank you.  I think I look great every day, but I appreciate the notice of my general amazingness.”

“Yeah, but there’s something different,” Mercedes said as Kurt started peeling off his layers and hanging them on his hook in the cubicle.  “Is that a new scarf?”

“Well… no,” Kurt said.  “I mean, yes, but… no.  It’s not mine.”

“Did you steal someone’s scarf?”

“No, I didn’t  _ steal _ it,” Kurt insisted. “Blaine thought I looked cold last night and let me borrow it.”

“Ooooh,  _ Blaine  _ thought you looked cold,” Mercedes laughed.  “What were you doing out with Blaine?  Was it a daaaate?”

Kurt dropped down on his chair with a sigh.  “It wasn’t a date.  Not really,” he explained.  “We were out cause he wanted my help with his secret santa.  And we were wandering around outside, and it was chilly, and then he was standing under one of the downtown trees with all the lights and looking just so… amazing.  And then he said I looked cold, so he wrapped his scarf around me and he was close enough that I could smell his cologne, and Mercedes he smells  _ so good _ .  And he was just standing there, inching closer to me, and his hand was on me, and he was smiling at me, and…”

Mercedes’ eyes went wide.  “And?” she pressed.

“Aaaand his boyfriend called,” Kurt said.  “What am I supposed to think of this scarf when we get interrupted by his boyfriend?”

“Well, first, you should return it because it’s not yours,” Mercedes pointed out.  “Second… maybe he’s just nice.”

“Maybe,” Kurt considered.

“Or, third,” Mercedes added brightly, “he’s actually into you and is getting ready to break up with his boyfriend so that he can date the hell out of you.”

Kurt couldn’t help but smile.  “I like the third option best.  He really did seem like he was flirting, right?”

“You don’t linger on a friend,” she agreed.  “You still need to return the scarf.”

“I still need to return the scarf.”

“Are you going to return it?”

Kurt glanced over at the scarf on the peg.  He pulled it free and wrapped it around his neck with a smile and a deep inhale to take in the lingering scent of Blaine’s cologne.  “Tomorrow.  I’ll return it tomorrow.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 10: Judgement

“It’s been a week, Kurt.”

“No, don’t make me.”

“It’s been a week and he’s going to notice it’s gone.”

“He knows where I sit.”

“So?”

“If he really wants it back, he can come ask me for it.”

“What, are you 12?”

“Mercedes…”

“You’re holding his scarf hostage and you just need to give it back.”

“...but it smells like him.”

“Kurt.”

“FINE.  Just stop judging me.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 11: Key

Kurt kept the scarf over the weekend, because… well dammit, because it still smelled like Blaine’s cologne and he was pathetic, okay?  And it hadn’t seen Blaine around the coffee bar since their excursion either.  

Wait, was Blaine avoiding him?  Was he angry that Kurt was hoarding his scarf?  Or that they’d been _this close_ to… doing something… out on that street in the cold?  And they very well might have if he hadn’t been phone blocked by Blaine’s jawline of marble boyfriend.  Was he thankful that Cooper called when he did to avoid an awkward situation?

Oh _fuck_ , did he create an entire romantic opportunity in his head?  Again?

Why was he so fixated on Blaine when there are hundreds of single gay men in this city alone who would just jump at the chance to spend time with Kurt Hummel?  Okay, well, maybe jump is a strong word.  But they’d be willing!  Well, not all of them.  He wanted more than a quick fuck, which was all anyone seemed to be looking for on any of the apps currently.  So willing was too strong a word.  But surely there had to be at least one guy out there who would be fine with spending time with him who wasn’t already dating the human equivalent of a sunlit lavender field in Provence.  

Why couldn’t he just find someone else, he scolded himself as he made his way towards Blaine’s office, scarf folded neatly in his hands.  

“Hey stranger,” Kurt said as he gave a quick knock to Blaine’s wall to announce himself.

Blaine turned, his serious expression blossoming into a smile that could blind an unprepared man, but who’d willingly give up his sight if that was the last thing he’d get to see.

 _Fuck, that’s why he couldn’t just find someone else_ , Kurt realized.

“Hey Kurt,” Blaine said brightly.  “Haven’t seen you in what, a week?”

“Really, has it been that long?” Kurt mused.  One hundred and fifty-one hours, but who’s counting?  “Anyway, I hadn’t seen you on our side of the office so I haven’t had a chance to return this,” he added, holding out the scarf.  

“Oh, thanks,” Blaine replied.  “I’d forgotten all about it.  End of year deadlines, you know?” he chuckled, setting the scarf down on the corner of his desk.  “Just this massive push which leaves me with no time for even essential things in life?”

“Such as?”

“Coffee, for one,” Blaine said.  

Kurt tilted his head and fixed Blaine with a scold.  “You should know better than to skip something so important.  The key is to make time for the things that really matter.”

Blaine just laughed.  “You are right.  I’ll make sure to make time for it from now on.  Oh, guess what?  I found a gift for… you know who.”

“Really?  What did you find?”

“I’m not going to say in the office.  There are ears everywhere.”

Kurt nodded.  “Well, I commend you on your success.  I still haven’t found the perfect gift for my secret santa yet.”

“Really?” Blaine asked.  “Huh.  I mean, I’d assume that they’d be pretty easy to shop for.  Plus, you’re really good at gift ideas.  I bet they’d love anything you got them.”

“You would think that,” Kurt said, tamping down on the little flutter in his stomach.  “But one can never be too sure.”

“Well… how about this.  I need help wrapping my gift, and you were such a help with my search, I’m willing to be a sounding board for some of your ideas.  Maybe I could help.”  

Blaine was smiling that brilliant smile again, so how was Kurt supposed to say no?  “I didn’t actually help you find anything,” he pointed out.

“Oh, but you gave me the idea I needed,” Blaine assure him.  “I’m going to guess that you’re a pretty great present wrapper.”

Kurt held up his hands.  “Surprisingly nimble fingers.”

“I don’t think that’s a surprise at all,” Blaine chuckled.  “Why don’t I come over to your place and you can help me wrap and I can help you brainstorm your gift?”

Blaine just invited himself over to Kurt’s place… and Kurt couldn’t seem to get irritated over the boldness of the ask.  Of course you can come over to my place, should I set a table for a romantic Lady & the Tramp style dinner?  Perhaps a place to lounge on my couch?  The good sheets for my bed?  Should I just clear you out a drawer to be prepared?   “Yeah, that sounds great,” Kurt said.  “I’ll text you my address.”

“I, ah… already have your address,” Blaine said.  “Because of the --”

“The Christmas bar,” Kurt supplied.  Of course.  When he was too drunk to remember Blaine being there at all.  That’s just great.  “Yeah, totally.  So, um, tomorrow evening?”

“Great,” Blaine beamed.  “It’s a date.”

But not really, that's just a figure of speech... right?


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 12: Limited

“That’s just a figure of speech, right?” Kurt asked Mercedes, as the bartender passed them their drinks.  The Christmas bar was busy busy busy, with everyone trying to get their fill of delicious cocktails and holiday spirit after another long day at work.  

“Do you want a punch on your Sexy Santa cards?” the bartender asked.  

Kurt and Mercedes both whipped out their cards, with Mercedes getting a third punch and Kurt’s a tenth which completed the card.  He signed his name to the back and grinned as the bartender dropped the completed and signed card into the giant stocking behind the bar.

“I feel like I’m at a disadvantage, considering that it’s irresponsible to get completed plastered after work on a Tuesday,” Mercedes grumbled.

Kurt shrugged innocently.  “I think it’s the best thing they’ve done this year,” he said.  “And yes, it does encourage people to order maybe an extra cocktail or two, but they’re cute and winky and it’s all in good fun.”

“You just want to win the Christmas Eve lapdance from Sexy Santa,” Mercedes said.

“Damn right I do,” Kurt agreed.  “And if it takes having an extra… what’s this one called again?”

“The Long Island of Misfit Toys.”

“If it takes having an extra Long Island of Misfit Toys, then I consider it worth it.”  Kurt took a long sip of his drink.  “Besides, I think they’re donating some money to charity?”

“Are we sure that ‘Charity’ isn’t the name of an elf they’re bringing in to help Sexy Santa?” Mercedes asked.

“I think you’re just jealous that I already have an extra card in the stocking.”

Before Mercedes could reply, a voice came booming across the room, “Kurt Hummel, I think you need to give up and accept that if anyone is going to win some extra chair time with Sexy Santa, it’s going to be me!”

Kurt and Mercedes looked up to find Rachel Berry pushing her way triumphantly through the crowd, clutching a neon pink mixed drink to protect it from spilling.  “And just how to plan to edge the competition in your favor?” Kurt asked.  “It’s a drawing.”

“Because I’ve been almost every night, to the point where they made this drink especially for me,” she explained, setting the pink drink on the bar next to her coworkers. 

Mercedes grabbed the glass and took a sip before Rachel could stop her.  “I don’t think I’ve seen this one on the list.  What is it?”

“I call it a Santa Baby,” Rachel said, “but the bartender called it a tall glass of hush.”  Kurt and Mercedes attempted not to laugh -- with Kurt much more successful in the endeavor than Mercedes.  “Laugh all you want,” Rachel continued.  “But this drink is going to get me onto that giant chair with Sexy Santa.”

“Challenge accepted,” Kurt declared.  “Because at this point I’m going to need some outlet before I explode.”

“Ooooh, are you having guy troubles?” Rachel asked.  “I wouldn’t know because I am just fending off suitors left and right, but I’m up for the lead role in the community production of Cinderella, so I could use the practice in reminding myself how it feels to be oppressed and unwanted by the world around you.  Spill, Kurt, why are you… or certain parts of you… about to explode?”

“He’s got the hots for a guy, who I say likes him back, but Kurt doesn’t buy it,” Mercedes said.

“It doesn’t matter if he likes me back,” Kurt grumbled.  “He has a boyfriend.  So he’s obviously just being friendly.  Even if I’d like to climb him like a Christmas tree.”

“Boyfriend isn’t married,” Mercedes pointed out.

“Has he asked you out?” Rachel asked.

“Yes!”  “No!”

Kurt and Mercedes looked at each other, daring the other to reconsider their answer.

“He invited himself over to Kurt’s place tomorrow, and said he was looking forward to their date,” Mercedes explained.

“It was a figure of speech,” Kurt insisted.  “Besides, I don’t need to get my hopes up just to be dashed because his boyfriend could get someone pregnant just by smiling at them.”

“Wait, is this someone at work?” Rachel asked.

“I’m not telling you anything,” Kurt said, taking a long drink from his glass.  “You sit right next to Human Resources and you are the absolute worst at keeping a secret.”

“I am not!”

“Telephone, Telegraph, tell Rachel Berry,” Kurt repeated the well used office warning against letting Rachel know anything you didn’t want broadcast across the entire floor.

Rachel scowled.  “Fine.  Then with my limited knowledge of the situation, I’d say he’s just being friendly and this isn’t a date.”

“See?” Kurt said to Mercedes.

“He invited himself over to your place,” Mercedes pointed out.  “No one does that unless they’re clueless or flirting.”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with inviting yourself over with people,” Rachel said.  “I do it all the time.”

Mercedes shot Kurt a significant look.

“I’m just going to act as if nothing’s changed,” Kurt insisted.  “Because then if I’m wrong, I can be pleasantly surprised.  But in the meantime,” he added, tipping back his glass and finishing it off with a flourish, “I’m gonna get started on my next punch card because you, Rachel Berry, are going to have to admit defeat when I’m the one with Sexy Santa’s legs wrapped around my waist on Christmas Even, thank you very much.  Hey, Brittany!” he called out to the bartender.  “Another round for me!”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 13: Mist

Kurt stood in the middle of his apartment surveying the main room and wondering if he should go over it one more time with the vacuum.  Probably wouldn’t hurt.  And that picture is slightly crooked.  Should he have replaced the picture in it with one where he jawline looked a bit sharper?  Maybe he should’ve baked some cookies to give the apartment that ‘fresh from the oven smell’.  No, wait, that’s for Realtors.  

Dammit, Kurt, just relax, he scolded himself.  If it was Mercedes coming over, he would give the trashcan a quick mist of Febreeze and be done with it.  He was dating Blaine just as much as he was dating Mercedes, so why did he spend the past hour racing home from work and then furiously cleaning?  THIS IS NOT A DATE.  Rachel was right, it’s totally normal to invite yourself over to someone else’s home.  Especially because Blaine lived with his boyfriend, so maybe he didn’t want the three of them hanging out together.  Was that because he thought Kurt was cute?  Was he trying to find the words to leave Cooper and reenact the scene from  _ An Officer and a Gentleman _ and bridal carry Kurt out of their office and off into the sunset?  Was it because there was a giant naked picture of his model slash boyfriend that could qualify as art but was really just bragging to anyone who walked in that you could ski jump off of each of his boyfriend’s abs?

A quick rap on the door brought him back to reality.  Fuck.  Game time.

“Hey Blaine!” Kurt said brightly, opening the door wide and ushering Blaine in.  “Come in, don’t stand out in the cold.”

“Ah, but I’m prepared,” Blaine chuckled.  He motioned to the scarf around his neck.  “And since we’re inside I won’t have to chivalrously hand it over to you this time.”

Kurt laughed, but furiously searched his brain for all the facts about that walk just to make sure that Blaine was teasing.  He was teasing.  Surely he was teasing.  The smile on his face meant he was teasing.  “Well, get comfortable.  Take of your scarf and your coat, and stay a while.”

Blaine pulled a bottle of wine from his bag, as well as a snow globe.  “I brought wine to share.”

“Oh, is that Rachel’s present?”

“Yep!”  Blaine beamed as Kurt lifted it up to inspect it.  “You can put a photo in the globe to personalize it, so I figured she’d like putting a picture of herself in there since the snow is actually tiny star confetti.”  

Kurt lifted it up to inspect it closer.  “Huh, you’re right.  That’s excellent, Blaine.  I’m sure she’ll love anything that lets her put more of herself on her desk.”

“I wouldn’t have thought of it without your help,” Blaine assured him.  “So this is really your victory as well.”

“Well, I’m happy to take credit,” Kurt said.  “But this is a pretty easy wrap job.  A gift bag will take care of this right away.”

“Do you have one I could use?” Blaine asked.  “Really, I’m good at many things, but gift wrapping is not one of them.”

“Yeah, let me grab one out of my decoration shelf in my closet,” Kurt said.

It really was a good gift, Kurt thought as he rummaged through the different papers and ribbons to find what he was looking for.  Rachel would love it, and she would 100% put a picture of herself in there.  She was definitely a bit much, but she was always completely, totally, authentically Rachel.  She went for what she wanted.  Why couldn’t he?  Probably because what he wanted already had a boyfriend.

“Do you want me to pour some wine while you’re looking?” Blaine called out.

Wine was probably dangerous.  No… not it’s not, don’t be foolish.  It’s like hanging out with Mercedes.  They had wine night all the time.  “Yeah, glasses are to the right of the stove,” he called back.

Why was he reading so much into this?  He was setting himself up for disappointment.  This always happened.  He’d fall for a guy, set up the guy as some imaginary bastion of perfection, and then be disappointed when reality didn’t live up to the fantasy.  He was doing that with Blaine.  He knew he had a boyfriend, he knew Blaine was a friendly guy to everyone in the office, he knew that Blaine was just naturally nice, and in reality the facts that he knew about Blaine ended there because he literally just said his first words to him a couple weeks ago.  The entire amount of what he ‘knew’ about Blaine could fit in that wine glass with plenty of room left for the wine.  But what he did know meant that Blaine was really, truly off-limits.  

Plus there was probably some rule against dating a coworker.  He’d have to ask Sam about that in the most casual way possible.

Kurt emerged with a bag, some glitter tissue paper, and a gift tag and found Blaine sitting on the couch with a glass of wine on each side table.  “Hey, I think this will work perfectly.”

“Great!” Blaine said, hopping up and crossing the room to stand right behind Kurt’s shoulder as Kurt gingerly wrapped the snowglobe and slipped it into the bag.  “I really appreciate this, Kurt.”

“Of course,” Kurt replied, tamping down on the flutter in his stomach now that Blaine was all but pressed against his back and he could smell that wonderful cologne again.  He really should ask what it was.  “And now, voila, ready for the exacting eye of Rachel Berry.”

Blaine grinned as Kurt turned.  “Hey, so, I don’t have to rush out,” he said.  “And it’s still pretty early.  How do you feel about cheesy cable Christmas movies?”

“I love them,” Kurt replied.  “Inevitably someone always gets together with the help of Santa Claus.”

“There are a couple of channels that have a marathon on.  Want to watch one?” Blaine asked.  “Then I promise to get out of your hair.”

Kurt looked over Blaine’s shoulder at the couch with their matching glasses of wine at each end.  Was this really a good idea?

“I’d love to,” Kurt said, before he could think better of it.  It was just a movie, and it was barely 6pm.  What could possibly happen?


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 14: Nose

“He’s totally the famous writer,” Kurt said.

Blaine scoffed, taking a sip of the wine.  “Why do you say that?”

“Because they keep talking about how much she wants to meet him and loves him, so of  _ course _ the cute stranger across the hall is that guy.”

“Don’t you think that’s a little on the nose?”

“This is a made-for-tv Christmas movie,” Kurt laughed.  “Subtle is not the name of the game.”

“But maybe it’ll surprise you,” Blaine said.

Kurt shrugged.  “But they aren’t supposed to be surprising.  They’re supposed to be comforting.”

“And it would be the most comforting if he was the famous author she already loved?” Blaine asked. 

“Maybe,” Kurt said.  “Actually, what would be most comforting would be if he was secretly the prince of a made up European country who was in desperate need of a bride but didn’t want the one he was currently betrothed to.”

“And then he realizes that he didn’t want his girlfriend because he met an American guy who worked as a barista in the coffee shop next to the house he rented to get away from it all,” Blaine supplied.

Kurt nodded.  “Yeah, and then he has to reassess these new feelings for this guy he never thought possible.”

Blaine turned to face Kurt on the couch.  “But damn all of the naysayers, he deserves to be happy.  So he and the barista finally share a kiss under the Christmas tree.”

“And then they go back to their fake country of Aldovia or Finburg and have the biggest, most extravagant gay wedding cable tv has ever seen,” Kurt beamed.

Blaine holds out his glass to toast Kurt.  “I would watch the hell out of that.”

“Right?” Kurt replied.  “We should write movies.”

“There’s an untapped market for romantic holiday stories with two male leads.”

“You just want Santa to help bring two guys together.”

“Santa’s not in this one, remember?” Blaine teased.

“Yeah, but he’d be in mine,” Kurt replied.  “Santa would play a major part.  Perhaps as part of the conflict of misunderstanding that always happens right before the big declaration of love.”

This wasn’t how Kurt had seen the evening going.  He thought they’d either sit on opposite sides of the couch, quietly watching a cheesy movie until it ended and Blaine politely excused himself in order to get home to more important things, or… they’d end up making out on the couch because Kurt had been a very good boy this year and the universe owed him this.  Instead they were planning out gay Hallmark movies and Kurt was realizing that it was getting harder and harder to just be friends with the cute coworker down the hall with the jacked boyfriend.

“More wine?” Kurt asked as he finished off the last of his glass.

Blaine shook his head.  “No, I probably shouldn’t.  I have to get home soon.  But please don’t let that stop you,” he added.  “You’re already home and I wouldn’t have to carry you up the stairs again.”

“Oh, ha ha,” Kurt replied drolly, rising from the couch ostensibly to get more wine.  The fact that it also gave him a moment to steal his expression from one of surprise was an added bonus.  He’d been so drunk that Blaine carried him up two flights of stairs?  Or was Blaine just teasing him?  Was Blaine a fan of hyperbolic teasing?  Maybe Blaine actually carried him firefighter style, thrown right over his shoulder.  He was short, but he looked sturdy.  How much sturdier would he look dressed as a firefighter?  Wasn’t that one of the Christmas movies too?  A firefighter and a cat?  “At least I’m no longer an embarrassment out in the open where everyone could see me,” he added.  That was safe enough since he couldn’t remember the specifics.  Mercedes said they’d seen him in the line to get in, after all.

“You’re not the first drunk guy I’ve helped get home from a bar,” Blaine chuckled.  “And I’m sure you won’t be the last.”

“So chivalrous,” Kurt said.  He returned with a full glass and sunk back onto the couch.  “Have you been in the Christmas bar yet?  Since I ruined that attempt.”

Blaine shook his head.  “Not yet.  I figure I’ll get in sometime before Christmas Eve.”

“Ooh, wait, you should totally go on Christmas Eve,” Kurt said excitedly.  “Because of the gorgeous Santa stripper that’s going to be there.”

Blaine’s nose wrinkled up and he shook his head.  “Yeah… no.  That’s not something I need to see with my own eyes.  I’d rather just leave that to my imagination than have it all confirmed.”

Kurt shrugged.  “Suit yourself.  But you really should go, if only for the drinks.  There are plenty of days between now and Christmas Eve.”

“Not that many,” Blaine pointed out.  “It’s why I had to get this wrapped soon.  They want them under the tree in the break room in the next couple of days.  What about you?  Have you… found the perfect something for your Secret Santa?”

Kurt sighed.  “No.  My assignment is… difficult.”

Blaine leaned forward.  “More difficult than Rachel Berry?”

Kurt had to laugh at that.  “No, difficult in a different way.  I just… it matters what this person thinks, so I don’t want to disappoint with the gift.”

“I don’t think you could disappoint anyone with any gift,” Blaine said.  “Maybe… take a hint from an interaction you’ve had together.  Something you’ve shared.”

I’d share anything with you, Kurt thought.  A drink, a bed, a box of condoms… and yet, still nothing appropriate for an office Secret Santa gift exchange.  “Yeah, probably,” he murmured as he tried to keep his mind from going too wild.  They were alone in his apartment, on the same couch, and each time they spoke Kurt found them inching closer and closer to each other.  If they kept talking long enough, one of them would end up in the other’s lap.  Boyfriend, he reminded himself.  He had a boyfriend.  Who wasn’t here.  “Maybe something sweet.”

“Something sweet is great,” Blaine said.  He turned to fold his leg up on the couch, and ended up brushing Kurt’s thigh with his knee.  “I guarantee that whoever is lucky enough to be on the receiving end of your present will love it.”

“You have a lot of faith in my gift giving abilities,” Kurt said, his hand coming down to rest on Blaine’s knee before he realized what he was doing.  

Blaine smiled.  “I have a lot of faith in you.”

Kurt realized where his hand was, but Blaine hadn’t pulled away yet.  Why hadn’t he pulled away yet?  Why wouldn’t the guy with the stupidly hot boyfriend not pull away when his hand was on his knee?  Why wouldn’t… oh, and now Blaine’s hand was on his, and he felt his breath catch in his throat.  “I appreciate the faith,” he murmured.  “I feel like this is the part where someone would come out and talk about Christmas magic,” he chuckled.

Blaine, for his part, smiled as he looked down and gave Kurt’s hand a squeeze.  “You can’t deny Christmas magic,” he said.  “Kurt, I…”

This was it.  He was going to declare his love.  He didn’t move his hand, hell, he  _ took Kurt’s hand,  _ so maybe he’d broken up with the boyfriend and he was going to make his move.  They were practically in each other’s lap, and the lights were low, and there was wine, and if ever there was a moment for Christmas magic…

“...there’s moment when you say to yourself…”

Kurt leaned forward in anticipation.  His eyes closed as he reached up with his free hand to touch Blaine’s cheek.

“...no, Kurt… I’m sorry.”

Kurt paused his air, his eyes opening and his hand stalling as he watched Blaine pull back.  

“I… can’t.  I’d lose everything.  I need to talk to people, get things settled.  I… I can’t.  I’m sorry.”

Kurt leaned back.  “I… yeah, of course, talk to people,” he murmured.  “Gotta get this settled by committee,” he added sarcastically.

However, Blaine either didn’t get the sarcasm or ignored it.  Instead, his expression bloomed into a smile.  “Exactly.  Yeah, great, so… I should probably get going.  Just so we don’t… you know… “

Kurt just nodded.  What the hell was happening?

“I’ll see you at work, okay?” Blaine added, standing up from the couch and grinning broadly.  “Thanks for the help.”

Kurt sat frozen on the couch as Blaine collected the gift for Rachel and left his home.  

What the fuck just happened?


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 15: Orgy

“You can’t stay mad forever,” Mercedes said.

Kurt continued to type in what he hoped communicated his deep, continuing irritation.  “You highly underestimate my ability to pick an emotion and stick with it.  I am fully committed to torturing him in an orgy of pain within my head for the foreseeable future.”

“Because you made a move and he turned you down?”

Kurt dropped his hands to his lap and took a deep breath.  “Because he said he’d lose everything,” he said.  “He doesn’t want to lose his boyfriend over me.  Which… look, I get it.  Love, and commitment, and all of that, but… it hurts.”

Mercedes turned in her chair and reached over to place a hand on his shoulder.  “Would you really want to date a guy that would cheat on his boyfriend?  Even for someone as amazing as you?”

She was right, of course.  What sort of standard would it set if Blaine was the type of guy to just cheat on a guy he was madly in love with?  Maybe they were contemplating marriage.  Oh god, maybe they were already engaged.  Why couldn’t men be culturally obligated to wear engagement rings, that would make his life so much easier.  

“And maybe you should just give him the benefit of the doubt,” she continued.  “Maybe there’s an issue that’s not related to you at all.  You know, sometimes you’re not the center of the universe,” she added with a grin.

That made Kurt smile.  “Sometimes.  Very rarely,” he conceded.  “But it’s been three days.  You think he would’ve wanted to say something to me by now.”

“Oh, you mean since you’ve been so easy to find,” Mercedes pointed out.  “You’ve booked off-campus meetings for three days.  I’ve barely seen you, and I knew where to look.  Even if he wanted to talk to you, you weren’t making it easy.”

“Well what did you expect me to do?”

“I don’t know… maybe talk to him?  Ask him what happened?  He obviously likes you.”

“I don’t know how obvious it is,” he said.  “He said no and ran away.”

“Did it feel like he was leading you on?”

Kurt sighed.  “No.  It… didn’t seem like that.”

“And if you really thought he was leading you on, you wouldn’t have put so much care into wrapping his gift,” she said, motioning to the package on the desk.

She was right, of course.  Even after he ran out, Kurt couldn’t just ignore his Secret Santa obligation.  He was hurt, but… but he didn’t want to hurt Blaine.  It was just wounded pride, after all.  A dust up between friends.  Not even friends, colleagues.  Really, how well did he even know Blaine, anyway?  They were work proximity associates on collegial terms.  Which was perfectly fine for the office!  He would just ignore this and file it away as a poor idea to try to date someone in the office.  Who was already seeing someone.  And who didn’t know he existed until just a couple of weeks ago.

Like people say, it’s either a good time or a good story.  This definitely qualified as a good story.  Later he could tell this sob story in bars and hopefully get both drinks and numbers from sympathetic cute guys throughout the city.  

“It would’ve been a shame for him to not have a gift under the break room tree,” Kurt said.  “Not after it took me so long to finally figure out what to get him.”

“So why don’t we go put the gift under the tree, grab a drink from the bottle of wine that I’ve hidden in the back of fridge on the second floor, and get this office party over with,” Mercedes said.  “The party will be over, the secret santa exchange will be over, and you won’t have to think about him any more if you don’t want to.  Plus, you know what day it is.”

Kurt had to smile at that.  “Christmas Eve.”

“Which means?”

“Which means that tonight we can go see Stripper Claus at the Christmas Bar.”

“It’ll be your reward for getting through the exchange with your dignity intact.  Then we can go and make sure that you get to sit on his lap and ruin your dignity there, like a respectable person.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 16: Perform

Mercedes’ hidden wine place was probably the worst kept secret on the entire floor.  By the time they got into the fridge, they found three swallows left in what was supposed to be an unopened bottle of chardonnay.  “Who am I gonna have to cut for drinking my wine?” she snapped, whipping her head out of the fridge to fix everyone she could see with a look that dared anyone to fess up to the misdeed.

“C’mon, let’s just steal someone else’s and call it even,” Kurt suggested.  The company didn’t provide alcohol for the party, but turned a blind eye if anyone wanted to BYOB.  So people set up makeshift bars in their cubicles, or in the bottom desk drawer, or if you were Mercedes and didn’t learn from failed attempts to keep a bottle chilled from the last two years, in the fridge where everyone could find it and take a sip after sip after sip, thinking no one would miss a sip, until there was nothing but backwash left in there in the saddest commentary on how he felt this Christmas so far.

...that derailed quickly.  Get it together, Kurt.  A guy rejected you, and someone in the office stole your secret wine.  This was not the plot of your own sad movie.  

“Vultures, all of them,” Mercedes said.  

He linked his arm in hers, determined to make the best of the day.  It would be his greatest performance to date -- ‘Office Colleague Who Doesn’t Care That His Pride Was Run Over by a Truck Before it Backed Up and Ran Over it Again’.  

He should come up with a shorter name.  ‘Happy Office Colleague’.  That’s better.  Shorter, to the point.  Nothing could stop him now.  Nothing was going to stand in his way.

“Hey, Kurt!”

He turned at the sound of Blaine’s bright, beautiful, cheerful voice.  How could he look so happy?  Didn’t he know that he’d stomped on Kurt’s heart not a few days before?  And how could anyone look so put together in what seemed to be a Fair Isle knit sweater that trailed into a holly pattern?  WHY DOES THAT MAKE YOU LOOK ATTRACTIVE AND NOT LIKE AN OVERGROWN CHILD, Kurt screamed internally.  But he never let his own smile slip.  Oh no, he wasn’t going to give Blaine the satisfaction of seeing his smile slip.  “Blaine! Hi!” he said, realizing how fake and overdone he sounded, before pulling back.  “Long time no see.”

“Yeah, I’ve been trying to catch you, but you’ve been away from your desk, for the past couple of days,” Blaine said.

Kurt nodded.  “Yeah, meetings.  Terrible, huh?”

“And you haven’t been answering your phone.”

“New cell plan,” Kurt said.  “Weird.  I’m gonna have to yell at them.  Well, we’ve gotta run, we’re on the trail of…. liquor.  But we’ll see you at the gift exchange, right?  Great, see ya!”  

He didn’t give Blaine time to say anything more than “Yeah, because I-” before he’d turned with Mercedes still in tow and started walking quickly through the hallway.  

“What was that?” Mercedes asked.

“I just can’t deal with Mr. Perfect Smile right now, not before I have wine in me,” Kurt said.  “C’mon, I know just who’ll have a stash.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 17: Raw

“Are you sure you just want wine?” Sam asked as he retrieved a bottle of pinot gris from behind his computer.  

“Do you have other choices?” Kurt asked.

Sam grinned and opened up his bottom file drawer to reveal multiple liquor bottles, mixers, and what looked like an actual shaker to mix said drinks.

Sam Evans, the HR rep assigned to their project team, was probably the nicest guy in the entire company.  Sure it sucked when you realized that ‘new options’ for your benefits were actually ‘few options’, but it always sounded better coming from Sam because he was just so damn positive about it.  He had a real knack for dealing with the raw emotions that came through the door and no one ever seemed to have a negative thing to say about him since he got transferred down to their team.  Kurt learned about his secret stash of ‘crying wine’ the last time he’d come in to complain about repeated bonehead comments from some of the guys in shipping, but this was a whole new level.

“You literally have an entire bar in your desk,” Kurt said.

Sam nodded.  “It’s good to be prepared.  Like, I had the wine, but turns out that some people don’t like wine.  And since I want to make this as welcoming a space as possible, I figured I’d get a few other options.  So once I got those, you needed something to mix it with because while a beer or a glass of wine in the middle of the day isn’t a big deal, I’m pretty sure that there’s no way I could explain shots of whiskey while helping someone fill out their paperwork for their tax withholdings.”

“I think I need to come by HR more often,” Mercedes murmured.

“You’re always welcome to come by,” Sam assured her.  “Door’s always open.  Unless it’s closed.  And if it’s closed, just wait a few minutes and it’ll be open again.”

“I think we’ll stick with the wine,” Kurt said.  Sam obliged them with two very heavy pours into the two coffee mugs that they’d stolen from the breakroom.  “Gotta get through the next hour or so somehow,” he chuckled.

“Yeah, but it should be pretty good,” Sam replied, pouring himself some of the wine into his water bottle.  “I mean, the boss will make a few announcements, and there’ll be a personnel announcement that I know you’re excited Kurt,” he chuckled.  “And then we’ll grab our Secret Santa presents and it is off for the holidays.  Do you… have any plans?” he asked, his gaze and smile lingering on Mercedes.

Which was cute, sure, and any other time Kurt would explore the fact that he was flirting with his cubicle mate, but they needed to back the truck up just a minute.  “What do you mean a personnel announcement I’ll be excited about?” he asked.

Sam’s expression turned confused.  “What… haven’t you talked to Blaine?”

“What does Blaine have to do with this?” Kurt demanded.  Good lord, even when he tried to avoid the guy who ran out on him when they were about to declare their undying love for each other… okay, have crazy acrobatic… fine, before they were about to make out just a little bit on the couch… whatever.  Even when he tried to avoid him, he kept coming up in conversation.  Was the universe trying to get back at him for something?  Did he forget to hold a door open, or not use his turn signal, or accidentally bump someone’s coffee out of their hands and now he was cursed forever to be confronted with the sweetest guy in the world who wanted absolutely nothing to do with him romantically?  Really?  “Is he getting some sort of promotion?  Oh god, is he now my boss?”

Sam opened his mouth to reply, before closing it and reconsidering.  “You know, forget I said anything.  This is really great wine.”

“Are you kidding me, Sam?” Kurt asked.  “What’s going on?”

“I didn’t know he hadn’t talked to you!” Sam insisted.  “I figured you would’ve been the first person he would tell!”

“I mean, he did…” Kurt trailed off.  Blaine had started to say something before, but Kurt didn’t want to deal with in and instead came here.  He’d come here to avoid listening to Blaine.  Blaine, who apparently had something big to tell him.  “Shit,” he mumbled.  

If it was anything other than ‘I’m sorry for running out on you, you won’t ruin anything, I’ve broken up with my boyfriend and now I want to make out with your face’ Kurt was going to throw this wine in his face like a damn Real Housewife.  

“I’ve gotta find him,” Kurt said, turning and exiting the HR office.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 18: Stir

Of course, the minute Kurt tried to find Blaine was the minute he was magically nowhere to be found.  He always forgot how many people were in this building, since people on different floors rarely had reason to be on other floors and in other offices.  But for this Holiday party, everyone had come down to the first floor to mix and mingle, and secretly drink to make the fact that they were being forced to mix and mingle with coworkers suck just a little bit less.  

Each time Kurt thought he’d found Blaine, a different coworker he’d never seen before turned around and ruined it.  Seriously, where was a festive holiday harness or a tracking device artfully sewn into a sweater vest when you needed one?

An arm linking in his, and his heart lept into his chest.  But it was only Rachel.

“Oh my god, when is it time for Sexy Santa at the Christmas Bar?” she groaned.  “I’m going stir crazy in here just biding my time until we get to leave.  You may have more cards in the stocking than I do, but maybe if I perform a tear jerking rendition of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” the bartenders will put a couple extra in there for me.  Surely it would be the best thing that they’ve had at the bar all season, and I know that the audience would love it.

“I’m not sure you can count a bunch of drunks in a themed bar who are waiting and hoping to be the lucky one to get close to Santa’s chimney and tear off his ho ho hosiery with their teeth as an ‘audience’,” Kurt pointed out.  Luckily, Rachel was short so he could continue his search for Blaine over her head without being too obvious about it.  

“Anywhere where two or more people are gathered in my presence can be considered an audience,” Rachel replied breezily.  “So are we going right after the Secret Santa exchange?”

Kurt nodded.  “Right after.  But right now I need to find Blaine -- have you seen him?”

“Oh, yeah, I think he was over by the tree,” Rachel said. 

Kurt slipped out of her arm and smiled.  “Thanks!  I’ll see you at Sexy Santa.”

The press of people was worse around the tree.  It was where the secret santa gifts had been assembled, where the few snacks that management provided were set up, and thankfully, where Blaine Anderson was standing laughing with a couple of the girls from finance.  

Kurt was still irritated with him for running out on him, but damn if Blaine didn’t have an infectious laugh.  Blaine was incapable of showing anything on his face except exactly what he was feeling, and right there under the Christmas tree was a man with a face full of joy.  How was Kurt supposed to stay mad at that?  

“Blaine!” Kurt called out from across the crowd.  You deserve an explanation, he reminded himself, as Blaine looked in his direction and waved.  It’s not normal for someone to just cut and run in the middle of… whatever what they were doing was.  And if Blaine was going to keep seeing the damn Disney prince in the photo on his desk, he needed to stop flirting with Kurt and Kurt needed to just give up already.  

Kurt camped out by the punch bowl as Blaine weaved his way through the crowd to him.  “Hey Kurt,” he said brightly.  “Are you having fun?”

“Yeah, these things are always… great…” Kurt trailed off.  “Look, I need to apologize for being short earlier.”

“Oh no, I totally understand,” Blaine said. 

“Because there are some things that I think we need to talk about,” Kurt continued.

“Definitely.  I wanted to talk to you before --”

“Can I have everyone’s attention please?” came a booming voice from the front of the room.  The CEO of the company had commandeered a microphone as everyone who’d been in the hallways started gathering into the room.

“Before what?” Kurt whispered, only to get shushed by two different voices behind him.  

“Welcome everyone to this year’s annual Holiday party,” the CEO stated.  “I’m so excited to see everyone having such a good time, and I promise to keep my remarks brief.”

It was the standard corporate spiel of expanded sales, and hard work, and ‘we couldn’t do it without you’ that was trotted out every year, but Kurt wasn’t listening to a word of it.  He needed management to get through their talk and leave so that he could finally get a chance to talk to Blaine.  See where they stood.  Maybe Blaine wanted to tell him that he left his boyfriend, or that he’d bought a home in Paris and wanted Kurt to go with him.  Maybe it was to share the revelation that Kurt was the most beautiful man that he’d ever seen.  Or maybe that it was they were such good friends that he wanted Kurt to be the best man at his wedding to the only man in the world who isn’t modelling but should be.  Maybe he was going to say that he didn’t realize Kurt thought he was flirting, and he’s just this nice to everyone, and boy was he embarrassed because in no world would he ever be interested in dating Kurt.  

Maybe you need to hush, Kurt scolded his overactive imagination.  

“And finally,” Kurt heard the CEO say, much to the relief of himself and everyone else in the crowded.  “Finally, there’s one last announcement we wanted to make before everyone dispersed for the holiday.  Blaine Anderson, are you out there?”

Kurt glanced over as Blaine raised his hand and made his way up to the boss and the microphone. 

“We all were sad when Emma left to join that non-profit and wondering who was going to take over management of her team, so I am so pleased to announce the Blaine will be taking over her position and moving to the fourth floor immediately after the holidays.  Let’s have a round of applause for our newest project leader!”

Kurt clapped even as his heart sunk.  Blaine was management now.  Fourth floor management.  There was little mixing of the floors, especially now that he was on a different team, and  _ management _ .  There were rules against dating management.  Hard and fast and sexual harassment based rules that were meticulously enforced, ever since the Schuester incident of 2012.  And now that he was going to another floor, there wouldn’t even be the excuse to catch him at the coffee bar near his desk.  

At this rate, he’d pay the bartenders to make sure that he got a strong drink and a lap full of Stripper Claus.  


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 19: Talk

Kurt tried not to be obvious as he continued glancing over at Blaine, who was busy being congratulated by person after person about his hard work, and his good fortune, and about how excited they were for his opportunity.

At least that’s what Kurt assumed they were saying.  He was still firmly rooted in his spot and couldn’t actually hear what was going on all the way across the room.  He’d taken to creating scripts in his head of what they were all talking about and adding it over their moving lips in some sort of pathetic mental dub.  ‘Oh Blaine how exciting for you to finally be free of the idiots on this floor!’  ‘Why yes, Beverly, I am so excited to be moving up to four with the real people.’ ‘But won’t you miss your co-workers down here?’ ‘Of course not Jimothy why would I ever miss anything down here? They can’t even make good coffee! Ha ha ha!’

Pull. Yourself. Together.  He hushed the voice in his head, and restated the facts.  One, Blaine was still dating God’s actual perfect specimen.  Two, Blaine was not dating Kurt.  Three, Blaine would be moving to a new office floor.  Four, every time they’d hung out in the past had been directly related to something at work.  Therefore, they were work friends at most, work proximity associates more likely.  One does not get sad and mopey about work proximity associates.  One bucks the hell up and acts happy because he did not actually lose anything that he didn’t have in the first place.

“Hey Kurt, I grabbed your Secret Santa, gift from the tree.”,

Kurt turned and smiled at Mercedes, who was holding a silver bag out for him.  “You didn’t have to grab that for me, I would’ve gotten it.”

“In the time it took me to go to the tree, get the gifts, and bring it over here, you never moved and only blinked twice,” she said.  “I guess you won’t run into him at the coffee cart any more.”

“Yeah, but it’s fine,” he insisted.  “I’m sure he deserves it.  Great career move and all.  I mean, there’s always the office Slack channel, right?”

She gave him a pat on the shoulder.  “Yeah.  There’s always that.  So… what did you get?”

Kurt pulled the tissue paper out of the bag to find a $20 giftcard to Starbucks.  “It’s like they put the least amount of thought into it as possible,” he said.

“At least it’s useful,” Mercedes said.  “I got a pair of fuzzy socks.  Which, great, but also… why?”

“This whole day is turning into a bust,” he grumbled.  

“Yeah, but at least there’s Sexy Claus coming up soon.”

Kurt nodded in agreement, but his attention was pulled to Blaine again.  Blaine, in his group of colleagues, who was opening the meticulously wrapped gold foil package.  He watched Blaine’s eyes light up as he pulled the plaid wool scarf out of the box, and he watched him offering his friends a feel of the cozy fabric before wrapping it around his neck and showing it off.  Sure, actual retail price was higher than $20, but Kurt knew how to work a sale and the amount he paid was still within the limit.  It still counts.  

And truthfully, Blaine’s reaction still counts.  From the moment Blaine had offered his scarf to keep Kurt warm, he’d known what he was going to do for Blaine’s Secret Santa gift.  Now he never had to worry about offering his only means of warmth just to make someone else more comfortable.  And now, Kurt could take a little bit of satisfaction in the fact that a small part of him would be going up to the fourth floor with Blaine.  He certainly seemed to like it enough.  

Blaine was scanning the crowd and finally spotted Kurt, his hand raising and waving to catch Kurt’s attention.  Kurt waved back, and then laughed as Blaine grinned and motioned to the scarf around his neck.  Maybe they weren’t meant to be together.  Maybe Blaine would marry the Adonis on his desk and move up to the fourth floor and someday take over the company, probably. Maybe upgrading from workplace proximity associate to workplace friend was all he was going to get.

Seeing Blaine smile like that in reaction to something Kurt did almost made that idea enough.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 20: Underline

With the Secret Santa gifts opened, there was no need to stick around the office any longer.  Management had ducked out, people were realizing they could escape, and if they wanted to get a good position in the bar to get on Sexy Santa’s lap, they all needed to leave now.  He just needed to find Mercedes, and --

“Hey Kurt!”

When was Blaine’s voice going to stop giving him butterflies?  PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, KURT.  “Hey Blaine,” he said brightly.  “Congratulations on your promotion.”

“Thanks,” Blaine beamed.  Dammit, his smile was radiant.  “I wanted to tell you before, but things kept getting in the way.”

Kurt nodded.  “Yeah, sorry about that.  There’s just a lot going on.”

“But it’s great news, isn’t it?”

Dammit, was he really going to rub his face in it?  Yeah, we get it, you’re happy that you’re moving up in the world, literally, and you’ll never have to see me to get your coffee fix in the morning again.  “Absolutely.  Couldn’t be happier,” Kurt lied.  “Bet you can’t wait to take advantage of all the perks of your new position.”

Blaine laughed, his hand reaching up to brush against his scarf.  “You can say that again.  Oh, and I really need to thank my Secret Santa for such a great gift,” he added.  “I think he’s afraid I was in danger of getting too cold.”

“Do you like it?” Kurt asked before he thought better of it.  Secret Santa was supposed to stay secret, but at this point did that really matter?

“I love it,” Blaine replied.  “I think Secret Santa has really good taste.”

“I think Secret Santa knew you had a habit of loaning out your outerwear to poor cold work associates, and he wanted to make sure you had a backup.”  Kurt shrugged.  “Spoiler alert, I’m your Secret Santa.”

Blaine grinned and leaned forward.  “I already knew that,” he teased.

“Wait, what?” Kurt said.  “How you did you know?  I thought I was doing pretty good keeping that secret?”

Blaine’s expression turned confused.  “What?  But you told me --”

“Kurt!” Rachel called out, pushing past the people still in the room and grabbing his arm.  “C’mon, we still have time to get in a couple drinks and finish out our current cards to get one more name in the stocking.  Hi Blaine, congratulations, the fourth floor won’t know what hit him, but I’m so sorry that I have to interrupt this little meeting and steal Kurt away.  C’mon, Mercedes is already in the car.”

“Since when are you coming with us?” Kurt asked, momentarily distracted from Blaine.

“Since it’s my car,” Rachel said.  “Blaine, you could come too.  There will be a Sexy Santa that’s sure to climb someone’s chimney.”

Blaine’s confusion melted into irritation.  “I have no desire to watch  _ him _ be sexy,” he said.  “Besides, I was hoping to… spend the evening with someone special,” he added, looking expectantly at Kurt.

What was that expression supposed to mean?  Was Kurt supposed to feel bad that Blaine wanted to spend time with his ‘someone special’ who was obviously the Disney prince from his desk photo?  He didn’t mean him, Kurt, did he?  But if he didn’t, why was he looking at him like he wanted to take his arm and lead him to a candlelit room and make dinner before turning on the most current season of The Crown and watching in blissful side by side couch camaraderie?  

“You don’t need Sexy Santa,” Blaine continued.  “You’re better than that.  Why don’t you let me --”

Kurt cut Blaine off.  “Look, some of us are single and maybe Sexy Santa is the only chance we have of getting any action this holiday.  Not all of us are dating a goddamn Disney prince who if I didn’t know any better was just photoshopped into that picture on your desk, because no human being could actually look like that but apparently your boyfriend actually does!” This was it.  All of his frustrations with Blaine, and his Cooper, and his dating life, and his lack of a dating life, and the careless flirting were finally coming to a head and no matter how much he wanted to stop it, the faucet was on now.  It was all coming out whether he wanted it to or not.  “And I get it, you’re amazing, and you deserve a guy who looks like Michelangelo sculpted him and then had to take a step back and go ‘no, he’s too perfect, no one will buy it’ but I am single, and alone, and a little frustrated at the circumstances around me, so I’m going to go and hopefully get felt up by Sexy Santa and see if I can’t get beard burn on my face or other assorted parts.”

When the words finally stopped rushing out of his mouth, he paused, took in the surprised looks from both Blaine and Rachel, and nodded.  “Yep, okay.  This just underlines the fact that I… well… I’m going to the bar, I will see you later, I don’t know why I said all of that.”

Kurt grabbed Rachel’s hand and ran out of the room so fast he didn’t hear Blaine call out, “What boyfriend?!”


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 21: Variation

The Miracle on 10th Street was packed to the brim with people desperate to start their holiday off with a stiff yet festive drink, people who were avoiding their responsibilities, people who were doing it all for Instagram, and people who were drinking for the chance to sit on Sexy Santa’s lap.  Kurt was all of those people.  

“Last punch!” he declared as the bartender slid him his drink and took his full punch card to drop into the stocking.  “Face it, Rachel, you’re losing this and I’ll be sure to wave at you from Santa’s throne up there.”

“Is it really a throne?” Rachel asked.  “I mean, I get that it’s a variation on a big chair, and Santa seems to hold court from it, and people approach him to ask for his favors… yeah, it’s a throne.”

“You can call that chair whatever you want, but both of you are out of luck because the card with  _ my _ name on it is the lucky one,” Mercedes said.

“I didn’t think you wanted the lap dance,” Kurt pointed out.  Damn, this drink was even stronger than the first.  You definitely get your money’s worth with the ‘Up on the Rum-top’.  “I thought you were above all that.”

“I’m just not going to drown my liver for chances,” Mercedes said.  “But if they happen to pull my singular card, then I’m not going to turn down a sexy man who wants to focus on nothing but me while you idiots cheer along.”

“Do you think he really lives up to the name Sexy Santa?” Rachel asked, her lips trying to find the straw in her drink but failing.  “I mean, what if he’s, like, Moderately Attractive Santa.  Or I Tried Out For the Chippendales Three Times But Never Made It Santa.”

“I think you’re about to find out,” Kurt said as all the bartenders started clapping to get everyone’s attention.  

Brittany, their favorite, grabbed the stocking and carried it through the crowd to Santa’s chair and whistled loudly.  “Alright everyone, thank you for coming to celebrate Christmas Eve at the Miracle on 10th Street!  Since we know you’ve all been good little boys and girls, we have a very special visitor tonight.  All the way from the North Pole, please give it up for the one and only Santa Claus!”

Sexy didn’t do the man justice, Kurt realized, as Santa emerged from behind the bar and made his way up to the large throne in the corner of the room.  The low-slung red pants, tall black boots, and stiff leather belt were the only clothes he had on.  Unless you counted glitter as an article of clothing, because either he was oiled up with a glitter lotion that accentuated every ridge and dip of the 47 ab muscles that each flexed and stretched as he walked or he actually was cut out of marble and was some six-foot Renaissance art fever dream come to life.  He didn’t even try to make a fake beard work, instead Santa brushed more silver glitter into a week’s worth of beard growth so that he was truly the rolled out of bed, disheveled, sparkling Santa Daddy of Kurt’s dreams.  

When Santa sat down on the chair, legs spread, and smile set, Kurt realized… he’s seen this Santa before.  Where had he seen this Santa before?

“So, Santa, will you do the honors to see who our big winner will be?” Brittany asked.

Santa reached into the stocking, rummaged around for a minute while grinning and winking at the crowd.  “And the winner is,” he said as he pulled a card out.  “Kurt Hummel!”

Any lingering confusion over where he’d seen Santa before evaporated as soon as that sexy blue-eyed glittered elf called his name.  “Yes!” he yelled.  “Me!”  He turned and grinned wildly at Mercedes and Rachel.  “Me!”

“Come on up here and tell Sexy Santa all your holiday wishes!” Brittany exclaimed as Kurt pushed his way up to the throne corner and tried not to reach out and touch Santa.  

“Ho ho ho, Kurt,” Santa said.  He stood up from the chair and motioned for Kurt to take a seat.  “Have you been a naughty boy this year?”

“Not as much as I’m gonna be in the next five minutes,” Kurt replied.  Santa smelled like peppermint and snow covered forest cabins.  

Santa laughed as he gave his pants a swift tug back, ripping them off and leaving him in those tall black leather boots and enough red glitter fabric to just cover his jingle bells.  Kurt tried not to look, but dammit, the bar really had hired the sexiest Santa they could possibly find.  He’d have to tip Brittany again.  Just to say thank you.  

He’s sure it was because of the theme, but Kurt had never considered Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ as a song to strip to, but there Santa was, up on the chair with his knees on either side of Kurt’s thigh, grinding along as Kurt was sure he was going to die and go to heaven.  Or Candy Land.  Wherever you go when you die by Sexy Santa.

“So, Kurt Hummel,” Santa chuckled, his voice low so that it didn’t carry over the music.  “What do you want for Christmas?”

“Besides this?” Kurt laughed.  He had a little pang in his heart because he knew what he wanted for Christmas, but there were some things that even Sexy Santa couldn’t do.  

And then he saw him over Santa’s shoulder.  There in the back of the crowd, watching the show, was Blaine Anderson… and he looked angry.  Coat on, arms crossed, and he was glaring at Kurt.  What was he doing here?  He didn’t seem enthused about Sexy Santa at the party.  And why was he angry?  Kurt just wanted to have a little fun for the holiday, since  _ he _ wasn’t going to be heading home to some Adonis boyfriend.  What right did Blaine have to judge him?  Why couldn’t Kurt get what he wanted  _ just for once _ ?

“I want the hot guy in my office to dump his stupid boyfriend and fall in love with me,” Kurt admitted before thinking better of spilling his guts to a guy dressed in glitter and a g-string all but humping his lap.

“What’s his name?” 

Kurt sighed and motioned with his chin out into the crowd.  “Blaine,” he grumbled.

It probably shouldn’t surprise him, but Sexy Santa was shit at being subtle.  He whipped his head around to see who Kurt was pointing at, before turning back to him with the largest, brightest smile he’d ever seen.  Damn, he looked like Blaine when he smiled like that.  

“Wait, you’re  _ that  _ Kurt?” Santa asked happily.  “Oh my god, Blaine talks about you  _ all the time _ !”

It was in that moment that Kurt realized why Santa looked so familiar.  The smile, the cut jawline that the stubble/beard did nothing to hide, the fact that he knew who Blaine was…

What the fuck?  He couldn’t even have Sexy Santa to himself, Sexy Santa had to be Blaine’s  _ stupidly attractive boyfriend??   _

“I’m Cooper!  Oh my god, it’s so great to meet you!”

“I didn’t mean to say I wanted to date your boyfriend -”

“Boyfriend?” Cooper laughed, never losing his rhythm as he continued to shimmy to the whoops, and hollers, and sounds of phones Instagramming him.  “I’m not his boyfriend, I’m his brother.”

“His brother?”

“Yeah!  Damn, he’s been talking about you non-stop, irritated about some stupid ‘can’t date a member of your work team’ rules.”

Kurt leaned his head to the side to look at Blaine again.  Still angry, still glaring, but… Kurt realized he wasn’t glaring at  _ him _ , he was glaring at  _ Cooper _ .  But if he wasn’t angry that his boyfriend was climbing up on some other guy, then…  then why did Blaine look not just angry...but hurt?

“Stupid rule if you ask me,” Cooper continued.  “But I don’t make those rules.  Hey, so did he finally ask you out now that he’s on another team?  You should say yes.  I know he’s a little dorky, but Blainey is great and I’ve taught him like half of my moves if you ask nicely.”

“No he hasn’t asked…” Kurt trailed off as he watched Blaine shake his head and turn to exit the bar.  No… no he couldn’t leave yet.  Not now that Kurt knew Cooper was his  _ brother _ .  “Blaine!” he called out.  “Sorry, I have to… sorry,” he said, shoving out from under Cooper and pushing his way through the crowd towards the exit.  “Blaine, wait!” he called out.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 22: Width

_ A few weeks ago… _

“So it’s an entire bar decked out in Christmas decorations?” Sam asked as he pulled his coat closed against the cold.

Blaine nodded.  “Yeah, it’s a whole thing.  Decorations, themed drinks, I think they keep one of the tvs on Hallmark.  Last year they had a sleigh you could take pictures in, along with a full sized cutout of Beyonce wearing a Santa hat.”

“And it’s worth standing out here for an hour and a half to get in?”

Blaine turned and looked back at the line snaking its way down the sidewalk.  The Miracle on 10th Street, or the Yellow Canary as it was known for the other eleven months out of the year, was the most popular spot in town.  And it only got more so once they went full on Christmas bar December 1st.  Floor to ceiling Christmas.  It was an Instagram paradise.  Plus, it was a fun excuse to drink festively colored mixed drinking without the judgemental glare of other bar patrons.  Not that that was the main selling point for Blaine, but it certainly didn’t hurt.  “Definitely,” he promised.  “You’re gonna love it.  It’s run by the same people who did the Game of Thrones pop-up bar last year.”

Sam’s face lit up.  “That was  _ amazing _ ,” he exclaimed.  “They had the throne, and there was a guy dressed up like a direwolf, oh my god and there was that drink called ‘The North Remembers’...”

“Which if I remember correctly, you didn’t remember anything after two of those,” Blaine pointed out.

“Yeah, they mix them strong here,” Sam said.  “I used to date one of the bartenders here.  I never could tell whether she added an extra shot to my drinks because she liked me, because she didn’t like me, or because she just forgot and lost count.”

“I heard there’s a drink here that’s basically chocolate, liquor, and regret,” Blaine continued.  There was a wave of people coming out now so hopefully that meant that they would be letting in a new wave of people.  They really should’ve left work early to get in line.  “Cooper had one a couple nights ago.  Apparently they’ve hired him for some gig on Christmas Eve.”

“How much clothing is he going to have on?”

Blaine shook his head.  “I didn’t ask.  I didn’t want to know.”

“Oh my god, it’s BLAINE!”

Blaine turned his head at the exclamation of his name and saw a couple of their coworkers running towards them in the line.  Well, one was running.  “Hey Kurt, hey Mercedes.  You guys just getting out?”

Kurt basically skidded to a stop in front of them and whipped his head back with a flourish.  “It was amazing, as always,” he declared.  “If anyone can drink in there without becoming overwhelmed by the Christmas spirit, I don’t want to know them.  I simply don’t want to know them!”

Apparently you get a few drinks in Kurt and he became incredibly talkative.  Blaine wasn’t sure he’d heard him utter more than a couple sentences at a time at work, so this was a change.  “Yeah, I went last year, but I haven’t been in this year yet.”

Kurt reached out and grabbing him by the arm.  “Blaine, you just have to go inside.  You have to let the Christmas spirit wash over your body.  It’s life affirming.  The season of change and love and glitter and sweaters.  Who doesn’t love sweaters?  Sweaters are one of the greatest things ever invented, and although I’d caution anyone against too much sweater festivity, it’s something good to embrace.”

“I am a fan of the Christmas sweater,” Blaine laughed.

“I know this,” Kurt said.  “You had that amazing reindeer sweater.  It shouldn’t work, but it totally did.  And I commend you for the fashion risk.  Look at you, kicking Christmas ass and taking names.”

Blaine wasn’t 100% sure what was happening, but this drunken Kurt was full of so much joy it was actually contagious.  “Thanks.  I love that sweater.  Um, are you ok?”  

“Sure, why do you ask?”

Blaine watched as Kurt started to sway and held onto Mercedes’ arm like a lifeline.  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Hey Blaine,” Sam said.  “The line is moving.”

“I just need to take him home,” Mercedes explained.  “He just needs to sleep it off.”

“Do you need a hand?” Blaine asked before he realized what he was saying.  They’d waited for almost two hours to get in, and the line was finally moving again, but Kurt seemed like a handful when he was drunk and it wouldn’t be fair to just leave Mercedes to fend for herself.  Besides, Kurt was kind of cute when he rambled.  “He looks like he needs a second hand.”

“I don’t want to take you out of line,” Mercedes said.

“No!” Kurt interjected.  “No, you let him take me home.  I am going home with God’s most perfect ass, so you let him take me home.”

Blaine was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to overhear Kurt say that, but since Kurt’s volume was continually getting louder, there was no way to avoid it.  “Yeah, it’s fine.  Here, you take my place in line, introduce Sam to the Christmas bar, and I’ll take Kurt home.”  Was this really the best way to spend some time with the cute guy down the hall, Blaine thought, but he didn’t have long to consider before Mercedes draped Kurt’s arm over Blaine’s shoulder and stepped into line.  “Didn’t have to ask you twice,” he chuckled.

“Nope, you boys have fun,” Mercedes said.  “I know better to argue with him when he has that tone of voice.”

As Blaine led Kurt slowly towards his car, he had the realization that he didn’t exactly know where Kurt lived.  Or his last name.  Guess there was no better way to get to know someone than escorting them home to bed.  His brother claimed it was because Blaine liked saving people, but why was it so wrong to be helpful?  “So, you remember where you live or do I need to find your license?”

“I’m just drunk, I’m not passed out,” Kurt pointed out.  “And you didn’t have to help me with this.  I could call an Uber.  Or find some cute guy at the bar to take me home.”  He glanced over at Blaine, considering.  “Outside the bar counts.  I guess I did that one.”

“I’m pretty sure you didn’t leave me a choice,” Blaine laughed.  “C’mon, let’s get you home.”

***

As soon as they reached the apartment, Blaine was completely enamoured with Kurt.  Sure, he was drunk right now, but he was also funny, and smart, and still really sharp for drinking ‘a bucket full of Christmas cheer and liquor’.  His words.  It was a shame he’d gotten transferred onto Kurt’s team at work.  Sure, it’s how he’d ended up on that floor and that coffee bar near his desk, but the rules against dating within your own project team were incredibly strict.  If he was on another floor, he’d ask this guy out in a heartbeat.  

Probably already had a boyfriend, though.  A guy like this didn’t stay single for long.  

“Home sweet home!” Kurt announced as he pushed off of Blaine’s shoulder and started pacing the width of the living room.  

“Are you… counting steps to your couch?” Blaine asked.

Kurt shook his head.  “No, just trying to figure out how to ask you what you’d like for the Secret Santa exchange at work without actually asking you, because it’s supposed to be a secret.”

“Are you my Secret Santa?” Blaine asked.

Kurt sighed.  “Yes, but shhhhhh I’m not supposed to tell you.  So you can’t tell you that I told you.”

“My lips are sealed,” Blaine promised.  “I won’t tell me what you said.  But I will ask you to help me with mine.  I have Rachel Berry and I am completely at a loss.  She’s...”

“Intense,” Kurt supplied.  “Yes, I’ll help you with her.  No one should be forced to conquer the Berry alone.”  He turned around and dropped backwards onto the couch.  He’s lucky he had good aim because, damn, he just fell back like he was expecting Iron Man to pull up and save his ass off the top of a building.  “So what do you do exactly?” he continued.  “I mean, I’ve seen you around, hoped to talk to you, and I still don’t know what you actually do.”

“Finance,” Blaine answered.  “Is there water in your fridge?”

“Bottles in the door.  So you, like, make sure I have money to work on my work?”

Blaine rummaged through the fridge and procured two bottles of water.  When he looked up, Kurt was sprawled out, one leg over the back of the couch and the other dangling over the side.  Which was impressive considering how tight his jeans looked.  Not that Blaine was looking.  But… he was looking.  “Well, I make sure that the money we have is properly allocated so that yes, you have money for the project,” he explained.  “Ugh, it sounds even duller when I explain it out loud.  But I’m hoping to move up into project management.  Take in the whole operation instead of just my little part.”

“Yeah, it sounds super dull,” Kurt laughed.  He reached his hand out and Blaine gave him one of the bottles.  “Did you want to be a finance guy growing up?”

“Hell no,” Blaine laughed.  “I wanted to sing.  Which I still do, but you have to pay the rent some how, right?”

“What does your super hot boyfriend think of that?”

“My boyfriend?”

Kurt turned and fixed Blaine with a ‘look’.  “Yeah, the super hot guy in the photo on your desk.  The one who looks like he’d bang you naked in a field of lilacs and you’d only be able to reply with ‘please sir, could I have another’.”

Oh, god, the mental image.  It burned.  “Ew, no,” Blaine said.  “Cooper?  Cooper’s my brother.  I’ve seen him naked enough for one lifetime.  Actually, most of the tri-county area has,” he grumbled.  Kurt just continued to look at him.  He really did have the most interesting eyes.  Blaine sighed again.  “Cooper has a side hustle as a bachelorette party stripper.  And for some reason he’s incredibly popular and he makes a lot of money doing it and he’s booked solid.  I don’t get it.”

“Because, and I mean this with all sincerity Blaine,” Kurt said slowly.  Deliberately.  “He looks like a goddamn Disney prince, and every little straight girl and gay boy imagined what it would be like to get plowed on the beach by Prince Eric.”

“He’s not that attractive,” Blaine insisted.  God, if that wasn’t the conversation he’s had with ever girl friend and every boyfriend he’s ever brought back to the house.  Every time he thought he’d gotten over being ‘the lesser Anderson brother’, someone had to point out that given the choice, they’d pick the taller, sexier, charismatic Cooper.  And it’s not like he could blame them -- Cooper was incredibly hard to dislike.  And he loves his brother, he really does.  He just doesn’t need to get reminded of how great Cooper is by every since guy he meets.  

“Not to say that you aren’t attractive,” Kurt continued.  “I only saw Cooper’s face.  You have an ass that just refuses to quit.  It’s all round and bouncy.  Here, give me a spin.”

“Are you serious?”

Kurt motioned for him to spin.  

“I’m pretty sure this could qualify as sexual harassment,” Blaine said, as he gave Kurt a small spin.  Maybe a second spin with his coat hiked up so that Kurt could actually see his ass.  And maybe a smile over his shoulder to make sure that Kurt was watching.  Dammit, Kurt really was cute.  

“Yeah, you got the goods too,” Kurt decided.  “Should I not tell you how hot your brother is?”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t,” Blaine said.

Kurt leaned his head back and considered.  “Are you jealous?” he asked.  “Cause people tell you that all the time?”

Blaine shrugged.  “I dunno, it’s not great when a cute guy starts talking about how hot my  _ brother _ is.  But I’ve heard it ever since I was old enough to walk, so…”

“Ugh, that sucks,” Kurt said.  “Sorry.  That’s totally rude.  You deserve better.  You are hot, Mr. Anderson.  Hotter than that weird looking guy on your desk.  Ew.  Who would ever want something like that?  You should know that you’re just as hot as your brother.  Repeat after me, I’m just as hot as my brother.”

“Kurt…”

“Repeat!”

“I’m just as hot as my brother,” Blaine repeated dutifully.

“Good,” Kurt said.  “You’re too great a guy to compare yourself to him and find yourself lacking.”

It was a long time since someone told that to Blaine.  And Kurt seemed so sincere, even if he was filterless from the alcohol.  But maybe this was just him after hours?  Blaine didn’t really know, but he did know that he wanted to get to know Kurt better.  This guy… this guy was a catch.

“I bet you’d be an even better stripper than your brother.”

“I mean, I did take a couple lessons with Cooper,” Blaine admitted.

“Whaaaaat?” Kurt perked up.  “Are you serious?”

“It was pole dancing, and it was just a couple of times,” Blaine laughed.  “It’s a good workout.  Hey, if you want to go to Coop’s girl, I’ll give you her number.  You can get just as good as I am.”

“I might take you up on that,” Kurt said, his eyes closing as he took a deep breath.

“Yeah, I mean, we could… make a date of it,” Blaine suggested.  As long as it wasn’t serious, would would turn them in to HR?  “And go find a Secret Santa present.”

“Yes, because if we wait too long, the elves will find me and take me away for spilling secrets,” Kurt giggled as he stretched his arms above his head.  His eyes were still closed.  He wasn’t going to be awake for much longer.  

“I don’t know about the elves, but I think you need to get some sleep,” Blaine said warmly.  “Where’s your bathroom?”  Kurt motioned down the hallway.  Blaine slipped back in there and opened the medicine cabinet.  He was tempted to rummage, just out of curiosity and the fact that he wanted to know everything he could about Kurt, but he found the bottle of aspirin he was looking for and closed the cabinet door.  

Kurt, for his part, was already asleep by the time Blaine came back.  He took the bottle of water from Kurt’s hand and placed it and the aspirin on the side table.  He’d make sure to text him in the morning just to make sure he was feeling okay.  “Goodnight, Kurt,” he said softly.

...but apparently not softly enough.

“Are you leaving?” Kurt said suddenly, his eyes jerking open.  

“Yeah,” Blaine said.  “It’s getting late.  I need to head to bed myself.  I put your water and some aspirin on the side table for the morning.”

“Oh, thank you.”  Kurt swung both legs off the couch and stood up surprisingly smoothly.  “You are just so damn thoughtful.”  He walked over to Blaine and wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug.  “I’m so lucky to know you.  I want to know you better.”

Kurt smelled like candy canes and a warm fireplace, Blaine realized.  And had arms he wanted to stay wrapped up in all night.  Can’t do that tonight.  Get to know the guy first.  You have to let go, he scolded himself.  “Me too,” he admitted.  “So we’ll go Secret Santa shopping.”

“It’s a date,” Kurt replied, giving him one last squeeze before letting go.  “Oh, wait, give me your phone,” he said, grabbing it as soon as Blaine pulled it from his pocket and entering his number.  “Now you can text me.”

“Now I can text you,” Blaine said with a smile.  This night was better and better.  “I’m gonna head out.  I’ll text you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight Blaine.”

“Goodnight Kurt.”

Blaine waited outside once the door closed until he heard the deadbolt lock and Kurt shuffle back into the apartment, hopefully to collapse onto his bed and get some sleep.  It wasn’t the way he thought his night was going to go, but dammit if he wasn’t thrilled this was the way it went.

After all, even if it was just for Secret Santa shopping… he had a date.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 23: Year

His middle school gym teacher would be surprised and impressed at the number of elbows thrown and the breaking through of a defensive line as he shoved his way through the crowd at the bar.  If he’d known that all athleticism was was pushing horny drunks out of the way in order to run after a cute guy from work, he would’ve gotten a varsity letter.  Look Dad, I’m a jock!

Kurt emerged onto the sidewalk and immediately wished he had his coat.  The cold December air was biting right through his sweater, but there wasn’t any time to waste.  He had to talk to Blaine, to apologize, to tell him that he was wrong and made too many assumptions.  

He had to make sure it wasn’t too late.

Blaine hadn’t gone far.  Kurt found him on a bench outside the park across the street, keeping warm from his anger and the seventeen layers he had wrapped around him.  At this point Kurt would kill for that scarf again, but that would be the definition of presumptuous.  

“Hey,” Kurt said.  “I… saw you in the back of the bar.”

Blaine turned his head to glance at Kurt.  The irritation was still plain on his face but his cheeks were becoming rosier by the minute due to the cold.  It was hard to look irritated with rosy cheeks and those lush eyelashes.  How had Kurt never noticed his eyelashes before?  “I’m surprised,” Blaine said.  “You seemed preoccupied with a lap full of Sexy Santa.”  

Ugh, Blaine sounded bitter.  “I’m sorry,” Kurt said.  “I shouldn’t have said those things at the office.  It wasn’t fair of me to unload all of my single frustration on you in that moment.  Plus… I realize that I was incredibly off-base.”

“Yeah, what boyfriend?” Blaine asked.  “You know I’m not seeing anyone.”

Kurt wrapped his arms around himself both to ward off the cold and to hide whatever small part of his shame that he could.  “See, here’s the thing… I thought Cooper was your boyfriend.”

“Cooper?” Blaine exclaimed.  “You thought I was dating my brother?”

“I didn’t know he was your brother!” Kurt insisted.  “I just thought he was your incredibly attractive boyfriend on your desk and in my head every time you wanted to spend time with someone special you were smugly alluding to the fact that you were gonna get… romantically intimate with him…”

Blaine’s expression was somewhere halfway between disgust and horror.  “How could you think he was my boyfriend?  We talked about it that night…”

“The night you took me home?”

“Yeah.”

Kurt groaned and covered his mouth with his hand.  God, this was the last thing he wanted to admit.  “So, here’s the thing.  I might… not… remember anything after I had my last drink in the bar.”

Blaine’s eyebrows lifted at that.  “You don’t remember telling me about the magic of Christmas and my sweaters in the line?”

“No.”

“Or asking me to spin around because you wanted to look at my ass?”

“No.”

“Or about how my brother, Cooper, stripped on the side?”

“Is that why you told me you’d give me the number of a pole dancing instructor?”

“And you don’t remember me telling you how much it sucked that every guy I’ve been interested in tells me how unbelievably hot my brother is compared to me?”

Kurt’s expression moved into the signature look of pain mixed with regret he was perfecting this holiday season.  “Oh, balls, did you really tell me that?  And I’m sitting here telling you about wanting to get felt up by Sexy Santa?  I’m sorry Blaine, I didn’t realize.”

“So why didn’t you say anything?” Blaine asked.  “Why didn’t you just say you didn’t remember that night when we were talking later?  I mean, I just thought you’d forgotten about shopping for Rachel’s gift.  I didn’t know I was basically talking into a void.”

“Do you know how embarrassing it is to have to admit that you don’t remember anything about your work crush taking you home, especially when he sounds so happy that you both got to talk?” Kurt insisted.  “I… didn’t want you to think I was a drunk.  Or sloppy.  Or… anything.  I wanted you to think I was great.”

That made Blaine smile.  “Kurt… you’re amazing.  That night just made me realize it, and man it sucks that you don’t remember it.  You told me I was cuter than my brother.”

“Well, you _are_ cuter than your brother,” Kurt said.

“And after that I just wanted to get to know you more.  But we just had to be careful about it at work.”

Ah, yes, work.  Work, where they weren’t allowed to date.  Was it presumptuous to start looking for a new job?  Would that make him pathetic to do that for a man he hadn’t even kissed yet?  Was anyone hiring around the holidays?  “Yeah, I know… I know that we can’t be together because of the policies…”

“But I got moved to management on four.”

Kurt shrugged.  “But I’m not allowed to date management.”

Blaine smiled that bright, beaming smile again.  “Kurt… you can’t date management or other members on your team.  Why do you think I pushed hard to get this transfer?  I was due to be reviewed in a year, but I convinced them to do it now.  We’re on different teams now.  We’re good.”

“We’re good?”

“You really should read the employee handbook more closely,” Blaine laughed.  

They were good.  Everything was in the clear.  He started to laugh, but it came out as his teeth chattering instead.  

“Oh, you must be freezing,” Blaine said.  He unwrapped his scarf and draped his around Kurt’s shoulders.  “Don’t worry about returning this quickly.  Some big hearted Secret Santa got me a spare.

“Let me guess, I told you I was your Secret Santa when I was drunk.”

“But you made me promise not to tell myself your secret.”

“God, I’m an idiot.  I’m also going to lean hard into Dry January,” Kurt declared.  Blaine just laughed, and Kurt was sure that was the best sound he’d heard all season.  “So, different teams.”

“Different teams.”

He reached out to grab Blaine’s hand.  “No boyfriend.”

“No, no boyfriend.”

Blaine’s face was beautiful under the light of the street lamp.  So open, so hopeful.  Why had he ever considered that someone like this would lead him on?  Blaine’s face couldn’t hide a lie if he tried.  Everything he was thinking, right there out in the open.  So if he was reading him right…

Kurt forced himself to stop thinking as he leaned forward, closing the distance between them, and kissed him.  Candy canes and joy, that’s what Blaine tasted like, he decided.  Candy canes and joy and reindeer sweaters and spare scarves and the biting December air.  Blaine’s other hand was up on his cheek and Kurt found himself unsure of what felt better, soft lips or strong hands.  

They didn’t break until Kurt felt something icy on his other cheek.  He pulled back to find fat snowflakes falling and catching in Blaine’s dark hair and impossibly long lashes, making him shine even more in the moonlight.  “How did you figure out that he wasn’t my boyfriend?” Blaine asked as he caught his breath.

“Cooper told me, while he was dancing up on me.”

Blaine laughed again.  “Yeah… that sounds like Cooper.  Nothing he loves better than a good matchmaking.”

Kurt glanced up, watching the snow fall harder around them.  “You know, Mercedes was insistant that there was Christmas magic.  I just didn’t think that magic would be Santa Claus as performed by your stripteasing brother.”

“I guess magic shows up when you least expect it,” Blaine replied.  “Hey, are you doing anything right now?”

“Did you have something different in mind?”

“Kurt Hummel, could I take you out to dinner?” Blaine asked. He stood up from the bench and offered Kurt his arm..  “On a real, honest to god, no ambiguity date.”

Kurt didn’t hesitate to stand up and link his arm in Blaine’s.  “I think that sounds like the best Christmas gift of all.”

 

**THE END**


	24. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A bonus scene. Blaine wasn't kidding about getting the number of a pole dancing instructor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 24: Zone

“Please don’t hurt yourself, Blaine.”

“I’m not going to hurt myself,” Blaine called out from the bathroom.

“Blainey took lessons, he’s a pro.  Admittedly he’s not as good as I am, but few people are.  I’ve considered submitting both of us to the Cirque du Soleil, but I’m afraid that we would be too far back from people to really appreciate the range of facial emotions that I bring to a performance.”

Kurt fixed Cooper with a withering stare.  How had he ever considered this lovable idiot a real competitor for Blaine’s affections?  His eyes fell down to the break between shirt and pants as Cooper lifted his arms in an absent stretch.  The hem of the shirt seemed to catch on each ripple of ab muscle that it passed.  Oh, right… that’s how.  “I’ve seen your act, Cooper.  I’m pretty sure it’s more Magic Mike than Cirque du Soleil.”

“They’re in Vegas right now,” Cooper said.  “I should audition!”

“Not sure you should give up your day job,” Kurt pointed out.

“My day job is marketing.  And I can market this money maker,” he added, motioning to his face.  He wasn’t wrong.  Last weekend he had two fiftieth birthday parties and one sixtieth that, according to him, was an avalanche of tips… and also one really handsy lady named Sue.

Blaine emerged from the bathroom in a pair of black bike shorts with embroidered light bulbs, and nothing else.  He stretched his arms up, and back.  Bent at the waist, then pushed his hips from side to side.  “Alright, I’m in the zone,” he said.  “Everyone stand back.”

“You don’t have to prove this to me,” Kurt reminded him.

Blaine looked over and grinned.  “But I’ve already gotten myself in the zone.”

Kurt smiled back.  “Just don’t fall and break your talent.

The Anderson basement had everything one needed for a lazy day at home -- plush couch and chair, large screen tv, separate fridge and sink… and a pole in a mirrored corner.  To perfect technique and a good workout, Cooper insisted.  Kurt could easily believe that Cooper took pole dancing lessons.  After meeting him, he was surprised that there was anything Cooper hadn’t tried.  His personal motto seemed to be ‘it’ll either be a good time, or a good story’, and he had a lot of good stories.  But Blaine?  Sweet, buttoned up, tailored sweater wearing Blaine?  And as soon as Kurt questioned that, Blaine felt the need to prove him wrong.

Which was how they ended up down in the basement, with Blaine wearing the tiniest pair of festive shorts he’d ever seen on someone other than Cooper, and watching him take a running leap up onto the pole.  

Well… shit.

Kurt’s mouth went a little dry as he watched Blaine’s thighs tighten and grip the pole, him holding on by one hand as he spun.  Each rotation had him spotting on Kurt’s face, his grin getting wider.  He was obviously enjoying Kurt’s reaction, and Kurt didn’t see any reason to deny him.  With another spin, he let go of the pole with his hand and bent back at the waist, giving Kurt full view as he spread his arms wide and slowed to a stop.  

“Ta da!” Blaine declared, still bent back and looking at Kurt upside down.  

“I taught him that!” Cooper beamed. 

Kurt didn’t respond.  Instead he walked over, placed a hand on either side of Blaine’s face and kissed him.  “Best view ever.  Do you need help getting down now?”

“Yes please,” Blaine said.  “I’m starting to lose feeling in my back.”


End file.
